Michael Brooks
The Dimond brothers, Michael and Peter, are members of a Catholic sect. They are the leaders of the Most Holy Family Monastery in Fillmore, New York, which has been deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center due to its antisemitic views. The brothers claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII and that the modern Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon. They also believe that the Holocaust was a hoax and that Jews, Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, evolutionists, and mainstream Catholics are destined for hell. Despite their claims of being Catholic, the Diocese of Buffalo has stated that the monastery is not affiliated with the Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious Affiliation | Catholic |
| Religion Influence | Traditionalist Catholics |
| Beliefs | Anti-ecumenism, Sedevacantism |
| Notability | Religious Speakers, Authors |
| Known For | Criticism of Post-Vatican II Church |
| Views on Modern Church | Reject Recent Church Changes |
| Liturgy | Tridentine Mass |
| Papal Recognition | Reject Post-Vatican II Popes |
| Current State | Deceased |
| Impact | Influenced Traditionalist Movement |
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What You'll Learn
Michael and Peter Dimond are sedevacantists
The MHFM was founded by Joseph Natale, who believed he had the gift of prophecy and that the Second Vatican Council was "part of a Communist conspiracy to destroy the Church". After his death in 1995, Michael and Peter Dimond took over the organisation. They claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII and that the Vatican II council, along with all subsequent popes, are heretics. The Dimonds also oppose natural family planning methods for married Catholic couples and consider the Holocaust to be a "propaganda hoax" used to further "Jewish power and influence in the world".
The Dimond brothers' views are considered controversial, even among other sedevacantists. They have been criticised for their use of the Gish gallop, a debate tactic that involves overwhelming one's opponent with a rapid series of arguments, regardless of their accuracy. The MHFM has also been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center due to its strong antisemitic views.
Despite their claims to be monks and to run a monastery, the Dimond brothers are not recognised as legitimate by the Catholic Church. A spokesperson for the Diocese of Buffalo stated that the MHFM is "neither affiliated with the diocese nor the Catholic Church". Additionally, none of the members of the MHFM have been ordained as priests.
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They run a fake monastery
The Most Holy Family Monastery, located in Fillmore, New York, has been described as a fake monastery run by fake monks, namely the Dimond brothers, Michael and Peter. The brothers are not ordained priests. They claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII, rejecting the authority of Pope John XXIII and his successors, whom they consider heretics.
The Dimonds' beliefs and teachings have been described as apocalyptic. They believe that the vernacular Mass (the Ordinary Form) is invalid and that Vatican II was not a valid ecumenical council. They hold that the council issued nothing but heresies and that John Paul II and Benedict XVI are heretics. They also oppose the doctrines of baptism of desire and baptism of blood, affirming that "outside the Catholic Church, there is absolutely no salvation".
The monastery was founded by Joseph Natale (1933-1995), who needed crutches to walk after contracting tuberculosis of the bone as a child. Natale entered the Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, in 1960 as a lay postulant but left before taking vows and without becoming a Benedictine monk. He later purchased property in Berlin, New Jersey, with the help of a benefactor, to found a community with seven other men with disabilities.
Over time, Natale's focus shifted to what he saw as guarding the Catholic religion against acts of the Church's hierarchy, which he believed were destructive to "the light of true Catholicism". By the mid-1970s, the monastery had completely broken off from the institutional Church. Michael Dimond joined in 1992 at the age of 19, after converting to Catholicism four years prior. He was elected Natale's successor after the latter's death in 1995.
The Dimond brothers have been accused of spending excessive time playing board games, and there have been lawsuits filed against them by former associates, such as Eric Hoyle, who claimed his money back after leaving the monastery. Despite these controversies, the brothers continue to lead the Most Holy Family Monastery and propagate their interpretations of Catholic doctrine.
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They believe all popes since the Second Vatican Council are illegitimate
The Dimond brothers, Michael and Peter, are associated with the Most Holy Family Monastery (MHFM) in Fillmore, New York, which is considered a fake monastery by some. The brothers are described as fake monks who claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII and that the Second Vatican Council was not a valid ecumenical council. They refer to the Catholic Church headed by Pope John XXIII and his successors as "the Vatican II sect" and consider it heretical. This belief system is called sedevacantism, and its adherents are incensed by the liberalizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which included condemning antisemitism and rejecting the notion that Jewish people are collectively responsible for the death of Jesus.
The Dimond brothers' views on the papacy and the Second Vatican Council are detailed in their book, "The Truth About What Really Happened to the Catholic Church after Vatican II." In the book, they argue that all claimants to the throne of St. Peter since 1958, the year of the Second Vatican Council, have been heretical antipopes seeking to destroy the faith of the Catholic Church. They present a comprehensive critique of the events before, during, and after the council, characterizing it as a takeover by enemies of the Catholic faith. The brothers believe that the modern Catholic Church is the "whore of Babylon," and they consider Pope John Paul II to be the antichrist.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has categorized MHFM as a hate group, noting that they routinely disparage Jews as "the perpetual enemy of Christ," reject the ecumenical efforts of the Vatican, and assert that recent popes have all been illegitimate. The Dimond brothers' beliefs extend beyond the rejection of post-Second Vatican Council popes, as they also receive sacraments at a Byzantine rite Catholic Church that mentions Benedict in the liturgy, which goes against traditional Catholic teachings.
The Dimond brothers' views on the illegitimacy of recent popes are not universally accepted within Catholic circles, as evidenced by rebuttals of their sedevacantist claims in Catholic Answers Magazine and Catholic Answers Podcasts. Despite the controversial nature of their beliefs, the brothers have gained followers and influenced others with their extreme interpretation of Catholicism.
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They have been labelled a hate group
The Diamond Brothers is a series of humorous children's detective books written by Anthony Horowitz. The series follows the adventures of the world's worst private detective, Tim Diamond, and his much more intelligent younger brother, Nick Diamond. However, my search did not yield any information about the Diamond Brothers of the book series being labelled a hate group.
On the other hand, there are two individuals named Michael Dimond and Peter Dimond (also known as Frederick Dimond and Robert Dimond, respectively) who are brothers and run the Most Holy Family Monastery, a fake monastery in Fillmore, New York. They have been labelled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) due to their strong antisemitic views. The Dimond brothers claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII and that the modern Catholic Church is the "whore of Babylon", with Pope John Paul II being the antichrist. They believe that everyone who doesn't share their views, including mainstream Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, and evolutionists, is going to hell.
The Dimond brothers' beliefs and teachings border on Calvinism, a form of Protestantism, and contradict traditional Catholic teachings. They have been criticized for their extreme and intolerant views, with some former associates, such as Eric Hoyle, taking legal action against them. Hoyle, a former novice at the monastery, contributed $1.3 million in cash and stock to the monastery before becoming disillusioned and unsuccessfully suing the brothers to get his money back.
The Dimond brothers' website and online content have been described as "dreck", and they have been accused of spending excessive time playing board games instead of focusing on spiritual practices. Their monastery, Most Holy Family Monastery, is considered a radical sedevacantist Catholic sect, and they have been discredited by the Catholic Church, with founder Joseph Natale never having taken religious vows and thus not recognized as a Benedictine monk.
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They believe in conspiracy theories
Michael and Peter Dimond are the leaders of the Most Holy Family Monastery (MHFM), a sedevacantist Catholic sect based in Fillmore, New York. The Dimond brothers are known for their controversial views and have been labelled as "fake monks" by some. They believe that all popes since the Second Vatican Council are antipopes, and refer to the Catholic Church headed by Pope John XXIII and his successors as "the Vatican II sect".
The Dimonds and their associates hold several conspiracy theories, including:
- Holocaust denial: They consider the Holocaust to be a "propaganda hoax" used to cement Jewish power and influence, and expose what they perceive as "Jewish domination and evil Jewish enterprises in the world".
- Communist conspiracy: They believe that the Second Vatican Council was part of a Communist conspiracy to destroy the Church, and that the bishops at the council were secret communists and Masons.
- Freemasonry and Rock Music: The Dimond brothers produced a documentary titled "Abortion, Freemasonry, and Rock Music Exposed", suggesting a conspiracy related to these topics.
- New World Order: They believe in a New World Order conspiracy theory, claiming that it is run by Jews and the Illuminati.
- UFO conspiracies: Frederick Dimond authored a book titled "UFOs: Demonic Activity & Elaborate Hoaxes Meant to Deceive Mankind", indicating a belief in UFO-related conspiracies.
- Antichrist and the Whore of Babylon: They identify Pope John Paul II as the antichrist and believe that the modern Catholic Church is the whore of Babylon.
- Natural Family Planning: The Dimonds condemn natural family planning, considering it to be in conflict with infallible Catholic teachings.
- Infiltration of the Church: They believe that the Church's enemies, including Communists and Freemasons, conspired to infiltrate the Catholic Church.
- Superman: The Dimond brothers also seem to hold some conspiracy beliefs related to Superman, as indicated by their inclusion of Superman in their list of concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Michael and Peter Dimond are fake monks who run the Most Holy Family Monastery in Fillmore, New York. They claim that there has been no valid pope since Pius XII and that the modern Catholic Church is the "whore of Babylon".
The Diamond brothers hold strong antisemitic views. They believe that Jews are collectively responsible for the death of Jesus and that the Holocaust was a hoax. They also believe that Jews are the "perpetual enemy of Christ" and that Jewish domination and enterprises must be exposed.
The Diamond brothers co-authored a book titled "The Truth About What Really Happened to the Catholic Church After Vatican II". The book outlines the present situation of the Catholic Church and the post-Vatican II apostasy, detailing heresies, scandals, and apostasies from the Catholic Magisterium.
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