(OSV News) -- A Satanic group planning a "black mass" at the Kansas Statehouse March 28 has sworn in court it is not in possession of a consecrated host and wine the group said it aimed to desecrate at the event.
On March 20, a judge dismissed a case brought by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, against the Satanic Grotto for the return of a consecrated host and consecrated wine the group claimed to have secured.
The dismissal of the case was "an unexpected but welcome development," since the defendants admitted under oath they did not have the sacred species, the Kansas Catholic Conference said in a statement issued shortly after the ex parte hearing.
Catholics believe that upon their consecration at Mass, the bread and wine become Jesus Christ -- body, blood, soul and divinity -- while still retaining the appearances of bread and wine. The Catholic Church teaches in its catechism that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life," with the reception of the Eucharist forming faithful into a single body sent forth to "fulfill God's will in their daily lives."
On March 14, Archbishop Naumann had filed a petition to recover the Eucharist -- under state laws governing the return of wrongfully taken or held personal property -- in the civil division of the District Court of Leavenworth County, Kansas.
The legal move followed claims made by Satanic Grotto president Michael T. Stewart -- both on social media and directly to Kansas Catholic Conference executive director Chuck Weber -- that he had obtained at least one consecrated host and an unspecified quantity of consecrated wine for the group's upcoming "black mass."
"We now have a sworn statement before a judge that the group does not possess a validly Consecrated Host," said Weber in the March 20 statement. "This alleviates a major concern."
The statement said both parties had proposed and agreed to Stewart "testifying under oath that neither he nor members of his group were in possession of the Eucharist."
"We are confident as can be given the fact that he (Stewart) gave this statement under oath and subject to perjury if he was lying," Weber told OSV News in a March 21 phone call.
But, added Weber, "we're also keeping in mind that this guy works for the prince of lies, and he's changed his story so many times now that we can't keep track of it."
Court documents obtained by OSV News show that Stewart claimed Weber "did not ask" him "to define what he meant by the word 'consecrated,'" or where Stewart had obtained the hosts.
Stewart also said in his testimony Weber did not ask "which Christian sect’s communion host was being used," and that the social media posts cited in the case did not "specify that any particular Christian sect’s 'Eucharist' is involved in the ceremony."
Without responding to specific questions about both the sacred species and the "black mass," Stewart told OSV News in a March 20 email that his organization "just stood down the Catholic Church in front of the world" while "exposing their hypocrisies lies and rampant abuse of power."
Regarding the upcoming "black mass," Weber said in his statement, "It is still sad that a group can get permission for the use of the Statehouse grounds when their sole purpose is the mockery and denigration of not just Catholics, but people from all denominations."
The Kansas Catholic Conference said in its March 20 statement that Archbishop Naumann is "calling upon the faithful to pray for the spiritual conversion of those promoting and participating in the satanic worship ritual," whose organizers "have also promised to defile a Bible, a crucifix and other Christian symbols."
The statement quoted Archbishop Naumann, who said, "These actions are an affront to all Christians.
"I urge all Catholics, other Christians, and people of good will not to succumb to anger or violence, as that would be cooperating with the devil," said Archbishop Naumann. "Rather, approach this situation with confidence in God's ultimate victory over Satan, sin, and death, as stated in Matthew 16:18."
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is scheduling a number of Holy Hours ahead of March 28, with Archbishop Naumann set to reconsecrate the state of Kansas to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.
