Chad Ripperger

Chad Alec Ripperger (born October 11, 1964) is an American Catholic priest, theologian, and exorcist. He founded the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother, a traditionalist Catholic association in the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, United States, known as the Doloran Fathers. Ripperger is noted for his public commentary on metaphysics, the Mass, spiritual warfare, mental health, and prayer, particularly in relation to his work on deliverance ministry. His views have drawn both supporters and critics, with some commentators expressing concern over the controversial nature of his theological and societal claims.

Early life and education

Ripperger was born in Casper, Wyoming. He earned two bachelor's degrees, in theology and philosophy, from the University of San Francisco; and two master's degrees, one in philosophy from the Center for Thomistic Studies of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, and another in theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. He joined the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which sent him to Rome to receive his doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Priesthood He was ordained a Catholic priest on June 7, 1997, by Bishop Edward Slattery for the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. His assignments after ordination included the diocesan St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. He also taught liturgy at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska, and served as a pastor in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. In the early 2010s, Bishop Slattery of the Diocese of Tulsa asked Ripperger to consider training exorcists for the diocese; from that, an idea developed to begin a society of exorcists. Ripperger moved into a motherhouse in 2014 and then a celebration for the formal establishment of the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother was held in March 2015.

Views and teachings Ripperger has drawn both support and criticism for his public statements, views, and teachings. These reflect a strongly traditionalist Catholic perspective that differs from more progressive or mainstream theological approaches, and, at times, even with mainstream theological tradition in the Catholic Church.

Possession and demons In a 2015 interview during his time in the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother as a member of SMD (Doloran Fathers), Ripperger stated that Hollywood portrayals of possession are "exaggerated and tend toward the sensational" and that actual possession cases were extraordinarily rare; "in some 150 interviews the SMD conducted last year, only three were found to be cases of demonic possession". In 2022, Catholic speaker and author Chris Stefanick interviewed Ripperger, during which he stated that demons are "on a short leash" and "can only do what Christ permits." and described demonic influence as occurring through "diabolic oppression, obsession and possession". Ripperger distinguishes between "deprecatory" prayers, which petition God for intervention, and "binding" prayers, where an individual directly commands an evil spirit. He further advises that the degree of a guardian angel's involvement in a person's life is largely dependent on the individual's willingness to pray to them and foster a spiritual relationship. He further critiques modern approaches to the Mass, asserting that worship should be objective rather than experiential:

He asserted that because the spells appear in Latin, they pose a danger, claiming that a woman in Spain had burned down her house while attempting one.

Women working outside the home In 2019, citing the Manuale Theologiae Moralis, Ripperger stated:

Reflecting traditionalist Catholic teachings on the family, he argued that unnecessarily seeking a career or pursuing a higher standard of living when not financially required could become grave matter if it undermines a child's moral and psychological formation.

Stop the Steal controversy In January 2021, a report circulated that Ripperger had shared a "Prayer of Command" urging Jesus to "banish evil spirits" in an effort to "Stop the Steal." Ripperger later clarified that while he had composed a deliverance prayer, the political group "modified it" and that he "never said to say it to stop the steal." However, his specific views on mental illness have prompted debate over his boundary definitions between psychology and the demonic. He stated:

This comment drew criticism for potentially discouraging individuals from seeking medical treatment. whereas demonic influence "will have no correspondence to anything whatsoever". and successive popes—who affirmed that evolutionary theory is compatible with Catholic teaching and may point to a divine creator—Ripperger rejects biological evolution. In his 2012 academic text, The Metaphysics of Evolution, Ripperger approaches the topic through a strictly Thomistic philosophical framework. He considers evolutionary development "absurd" and metaphysically improbable, asserting that "one species does not have the existence of the essence in itself... to confer it to another species." In 2025, Ripperger hosted the "Restore Truth Conference" with Hugh Owen and Robert Sungenis aimed at countering "Darwinian evolution and alien deception."

Extraterrestrial life Ripperger holds that alleged extraterrestrial beings—specifically the archetype known as "Grays"—are actually demons masquerading as aliens. In a 2025 appearance on the Avoiding Babylon podcast, he argued that this demonic deception creates an "intermediate non-moral" identity to lure people into spiritual confusion. He claimed that other exorcists have witnessed possessed individuals morph into the physical likeness of "Grays," but that the phenomena dissipates when the victim invokes the name of Jesus. He argues that because demons fear exposure, they use the alien narrative to misdirect attention while offering a false savior narrative ("we're here to save humanity") that attempts to supplant Jesus Christ.

End times and the Antichrist Based on Catholic prophecy and his observations of diabolic activity, Ripperger believes the world is approaching a period of chastisement. He notes a shift in demonic strategy where demons are now emboldened to attack "good families," an indicator that "they know their time is short" and that God will soon intervene. Regarding the Antichrist, Ripperger asserts that his global rule will be established primarily through economic control rather than traditional governance. He theorizes that the implementation of a unified worldwide economy, such as digital currency tied to a social credit score, will serve as the mechanism to enforce compliance. He interprets the Mark of the Beast as a direct inversion of the spiritual mark of Baptism, suggesting it could take the form of physical technology (like an RFID chip or neural link) required to participate in the economy, which will demand a renunciation of Christ to receive. Furthermore, Ripperger teaches that the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem will never be rebuilt. Instead, he interprets the prophetic "abomination of desolation" mentioned in the Book of Daniel as referring to a future compromise within the Catholic Church itself, rather than a physical temple.

Society of Saint Pius X and 2026 episcopal consecrations During his June 2026 appearance on Rules for Retrogrades, Ripperger commented on the Society of Saint Pius X's (SSPX) plans to consecrate four new bishops on July 1, 2026, without a papal mandate. While expressing general sympathy toward the SSPX, he advised against the ordinations, warning that proceeding without papal approval is canonically an excommunicable offense and urging the society to seek an agreement with the Vatican. Ripperger contested the SSPX's defense of their actions under a canonical "state of emergency." He noted that there is no official magisterial consensus defining a "state of emergency," and argued that a global emergency does not exist since traditional priests can still practice their ministry within approved Catholic structures. He also criticized the Vatican's handling of the situation, arguing that if the Vatican strictly enforces excommunications against the SSPX, it should show similar consistency in censuring state-controlled Catholic ordinations in China.