New News in the Curious Case of Fr. Clay Hunt III

Protest of the Faithful Scheduled in Front of San Antonio Archdiocese

Hello Friends,

I would like to share a photograph with you.

This is a billboard at what is more than likely the busiest intersection in Del Rio, right next to Veteran’s Blvd. and the HEB on Gibbs St/Highway 90.

For those lacking background and context, don’t worry, we’ll play in-depth catch-up and review in just a minute, suffice to say that Father Clay Hunt in the Cowboy hat on the left, and Father James Altman on the right, are a pair of lightning rods in a long-brewing crisis of conservative discontent in the Catholic Church.

Father Clay Hunt was born and raised in the Kinney County area, and until recently was tending to the flock at St. Joseph’s in Val Verde County, next door. He was yanked from the pulpit after making orthodox statements on the subject of homosexuality in Del Rio, and also San Antonio, though the actual reasons for his removal have been somewhat murky and changeable depending on the source and timing of statements.

Father James Altman is a Wisconsin based Priest, who courted public controversy for resisting orders to shut down live-in-person masses and services during Covid-19 lockdowns. He too has recently been yanked from the pulpit.

For the two of them and their supporters to be planning a public rally right in the lap of the Archdiocese offices in San Antonio is quite a step. On the surface of the matter, it doesn’t appear to have much to do with the U.S. - Mexico Border Crisis, but Father Clay tells the Cavalry - Dispatch that one of his first clues that he was in trouble with the Archbishop came when he disagreed with the Archbishop during a meeting when Father Clay says the Archbishop began almost ranting about Trump-era immigration policies and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Father Clay says he felt compelled to speak up, pointing out that many of his parishioners were Border Patrol Agents, and U.S. Customs employees. “They’re good, devout, and honest Catholics, who do their jobs,” said Father Clay. He says from then on, what had seemed like a good relationship with Archbishop Gustavo Garcia - Siller became troubled.

In any event, please see an article first published in the Kinney County Post by yours truly, back in July, summarizing events up to that point.

Headline:  Uproar in the Catholic Church Over Brackettville's Father Clay Hunt

Many active churchgoers in Del Rio and Brackettville, and other communities in Southwest Texas have been aware of the plight of Father Clay Hunt.  His position in the Church seemingly at risk and troubled after what seems to be a conflict between his Orthodox views and what's perceived as the Archbishop of San Antonio's more liberal leanings came to a head roughly 3 years ago.

The actual facts of the matter have been somewhat hard to ascertain, with mounds of gossip being passed around online and elsewhere, and the not-unexpected general silence from the Archdiocese.

However, that silence ended late last month, when Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller quietly published a letter on the Archdiocese website  (www.archsa.org/news) that seems to put forth the official version of events, as far as he is concerned.

The letter lays out three areas of concern that the Archbishop says led him to remove Father Clay from his post at St. Joseph Parish in Del Rio, and reassign him to a prison outreach ministry.  At the time of his reassignment, Father Clay had drawn some criticism and also some support for addressing the Bexar County Commissioner's Court on the subject of homosexuality, and was escorted by police out of a meeting with the newly elected openly gay Mayor of Del Rio, Bruno Lozano. 

The Archbishop's letter makes no mention of either of those events.  And instead focuses on accusations of disobedience, claims of financial misconduct, and what it says are "confirmed allegations" that he asked sexually inappropriate questions of minors while giving confession.

On the subject of financial misconduct, the Archbishop says Father Clay misappropriated "significant funds given in the second collection at St. Joseph Parish in Del Rio."  Second collection is when the collection plate is passed to support social ministry.  The Archbishop says Father Clay was expected to turn over more than $20,000 dollars to the Archdiocese, who would then in turn eventually see it passed on to various charities such as "The Rice Bowl," "Catholic Home Missions," and "The Special Collection for the Philippines."  Instead, the Archbishop says Father Clay turned the money over directly to two priests, who are part of an Apostlic Society that maintains numerous overseas missions in places like Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, and other similar locations.

The Archbishop has barred Father Clay from criticizing the Archdiocese on social media.  But, one can find no shortage of defenders online, willing to address many of these accusations.  On the subject of financial misconduct-- they say the American church quietly passes second collection on to charities that quietly support contraception, and abortion, and by taking the money outside of the official channels, and giving it directly to those working in overseas ministries, Father Clay was trying to make sure the second collection at St. Joseph's did not support any unchristian activities.

One of Father Clay's strongest supporters online, Dr. Marian Casillas, of Del Rio, points to published research that indicates the American Church has been spending parishioner's funds in all kinds of unexpected ways-- even investing in the production of Hollywood movies and biopics.

The Archbishop's letter then lays out unspecified claims that Father Clay was also accused of asking "sexually inappropriate and imprudent questions while celebrating the Sacrament of Penance, even with minors, and imposed inappropriate and imprudent penances on the penitents in the celebration of the same sacrament.

Father Clay's online supporters also wave this away, saying they believe any "sexually inappropriate" questions were part of his speaking and testifying candidly about life, marriage, and family, and how certain choices in regards to abortion or homosexuality can be harmful.

The Archbishop concludes the letter, by saying he would've preferred to handle the matter privately, "as a shepherd with his priest," but has now come forward, to settle what he calls in his letter "inaccurate explanations that certain persons have circulated, whether maliciously or themselves deceived, about the circumstances of Rev. Hunt’s absence from ministry."  

He may be referring to Father Clay's recent participation in an online news program about 9 North American priests that some say are being persecuted by their hierarchy.   The program is hosted by the website Church Militant (www.churchmilitant.com), which covers news and events of special interest to Catholics.

Father Clay Hunt grew up in Brackett, and was a wildly popular and successful student athlete during his time here.  His family says he was studying to become an optometrist, and was going to get married, before he was called to the Church.  Supporters from all over South Texas have rallied to defend him, raising more than $100-thousand dollars on gofundme.com, to help support him, and finance his defense with a Canon lawyer, able to navigate the Catholic hierarchy's Canon Law. 

The Kinney County Post spoke with Father Clay over the telephone.  He declined to address any specifics, but seemed to be eager for a hearing; saying in his embroidered fashion, "I regret not being able to address these points substantially at this time.  But as I ask many people in their prayers, to ask the lord to bring all things into the light."

So far, there's no word on exactly when any sort of hearing for Father Clay will occur.

Since that piece was published, we’ve been quietly contacted by Catholic faithful from all over, asking for updates in some cases from as far away as the Nashville, TN area. Typically, U.S. based dioceses move glacially slowly to respond to press inquiries, if they even respond at all, which has meant there’s not been much new to report, until now.

We can say that Fr. Clay was permitted to preside over a special mass most recently at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Brackettville, on the occasion of his devout Grandmother’s funeral. Amid recollections of his Grandmother’s efforts to set he and his brothers on a righteous path, Father Hunt exhorted the faithful to be strong, even in what seem like troubled times as these.

For readers who are not familiar with this area— raising 100,000 dollars from what is a largely economically depressed region made up mostly of working-class and migrant families is an amazing feat in and of itself.

We should also note Mayor Lozano’s increased national profile in recent weeks following the dispersal of a mostly Haitian Immigrant camp under the international port of entry, and an appearance on an HBO show about homosexual drag queens that highlighted Del Rio, TX.

As for the Border Crisis, there’s not a huge amount of new news to report from Kinney County, though readers can expect something in their inboxes tomorrow or perhaps Monday, in response to recent reporting about setbacks in special Zoom court hearings for the heavy caseload of trespassing charges related to Operation Lone Star. As always in the interest of full-disclosure, we should point out our recent employment with the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office as an administrative assistant, charged with coordinating press requests and public information.