Christian tradition has always held that those who speak publicly in the name of the faith bear a grave responsibility for the truth of their words. Speech that spreads false accusations, imputes corruption to entire peoples, or revives historic patterns of hatred does more than inflame political debate — it violates the moral law and damages Christian witness.
In a previous article, I argued that Candace Owens’ public rhetoric has reached a level of grave scandal that calls for ecclesial discipline, up to and including excommunication. This article addresses the substance of that concern.
Many Catholics have followed Owens as a cultural commentator willing to challenge secular orthodoxies and defend aspects of the Christian moral vision. Her willingness to confront cultural pressures surrounding family, sexual ideology, and political corruption has earned admiration among believers who feel increasingly alienated from dominant media institutions. But courage in one area does not excuse grave error in another.
The question before us is not whether Owens is provocative or politically controversial. Catholics may critique Israeli policy, American foreign policy, or the arguments of particular Jewish thinkers. But there are moral limits to speech. Catholics are not free to violate the Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Exodus 20:16).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is explicit about the moral obligations governing speech.
Continue reading at The Christian Post here.
Simone Rizkallah helped launch the Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism (CCAA) in October 2023, which now advances its mission at the Institute of Religion and Democracy. The Coalition is committed to rejecting antisemitism, strengthening Catholic–Jewish solidarity, and building bridges of solidarity with persecuted communities everywhere. A first-generation American of Egyptian-Armenian descent, she is a Catholic educator, speaker, writer, and host of the Beyond Rome podcast. She holds a graduate degree in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Systematic Theology from Christendom College.
More from IRD:
Catholic Integralism Replacing Evangelicals?
Candace Owens must be excommunicated — for the sake of her soul
Catholic Influencers’ Antisemitism Problem
Comment by David on March 11, 2026 at 6:47 pm
“False witness” is perjury in a legal setting and not common lies.
Comment by John on March 11, 2026 at 9:09 pm
She’d welcome excommunication. It would only further fuel her wild, paranoid thinking.
Comment by Wilson R. on March 12, 2026 at 9:35 am
I’m not sure I get the obsession with Candace Owens. Three different pieces on her in the past month? As if she’s the primary Catholic who is an affront to Catholic doctrine and teaching? She’s not even the only one who is anti-semitic. We have an epidemic of people staffing government and legislative offices sending openly pro-Nazi texts and using dog-whistle anti-Jewish slurs about “internationalists.” Not a peep about that here? These missives give an impression that this is all about an internecine fight among right-wing factions rather than about principle.
Comment by Td on March 16, 2026 at 4:18 pm
As a Catholic, i honestly do not know any Catholic who takes canadice owens seruous Catholic. I am not sure what the point of these articles are. We have bishops out there who are openly challenging the Church’s trachings in sexuality and governance. And here we are with this article about a podcaster. My suggestion would be to focus on how some bishops in the Catholic Church are advocating the road that the UMC has taken.
Comment by Irene on March 18, 2026 at 1:38 pm
It is in the name of the article that the lie starts…
Not to defend Candice per se, but what she talks about is not “anti-jewish” but rather “anti-israel” hegemony over the US politics and LIVES (all those US soldiers who are dying for a “religious” misinterpretation of the bible for political gain)…
JUST WAKE UP
And I love when “Christians” try to defend the morality of wars and not seeing the log in their eyes!!!