Paul Likoudis : Rest in Peace
By Bradley Eli
One of the giants upon whose shoulders we at Church Militant stand A faithful son of Holy Mother Church, Paul A. Likoudis went before Our Lord on September 22 as a result of his three-year battle with cancer. A brief obituary can be read here. His body will be buried September 28 near his hometown of Caywood, New York, but his legacy of defending the Catholic faith, oftentimes against enemies from within the Church Herself, will live on in the many thousands he inspired by his writings and talks. In praying for the repose of Likoudis' soul, Michael Voris remarked that Paul was "truly a good man" and "a greatly beloved defender of the Faith." Voris pointed out the influence that Likoudis had on his own apostolate. "He was very involved in the initial resistance to the rebellion in the Church, and is one of the giants upon whose shoulders we consider ourselves here at Church Militant standing." Likoudis followed in the footsteps of his father James, president emeritus of the famous lay apostolate Catholic United for the Faith (CUF), founded in 1968 to turn back the tide of confusion that followed in the wake of Vatican II. Paul himself would write and speak extensively about a variety of topics that plagued the Church, including dissent against "Humanae Vitae," liturgical abuses, ambiguities in Vatican II documents, problems in catechetics, breakdown in religious life, dangers threatening the family and so on. As editor of the Catholic paper The Wanderer from 1990–2014, Likoudis' contribution to Catholic clarity is incalculable. Matt Abbott, himself an avid writer and defender of orthodoxy, credited Likoudis' lifelong work as a valued resource. "I've referenced Paul's work several times in this column over the last 12 years. The amount of material he collected and wrote during the course of his career was, and is, remarkable." While always maintaining a high level of respect for Church leaders, Likoudis' great love of the Bride of Christ caused him to lock horns with those who at times sowed confusion among the faithful. Abbott draws out this seeming paradox that Likoudis exhibited. "Paul wasn't afraid to take on heterodox bishops, priests and religious, while at the same time promoting Catholic orthodoxy. He deserves praise for exposing Church corruption in the years prior to 2002, when the clergy sex abuse scandal exploded in the secular mainstream media." Likoudis is survived by his wife of 35 years, both parents, a brother, three sisters, two sons, three daughters, six grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and many fellow Catholics who follow in his path of respectful resistance to heterodoxy. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. Contact: cwilson2@lohud.com
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