Canadian Catholic pro-life advocate Amanda Achtman is known for her work with Canadian Physicians for Life and the Dying to Meet You project. Achtman sought to join the U.S.-based Catholic Speakers Organization (CSO) to raise her profile outside of Canada. CSO initially welcomed Achtman as a speaker via email correspondence with the Director of Operations. Achtman discovered that Candace Owens, a prominent conservative commentator, was also a featured speaker for the CSO. The article implies a conflict or issue arose for Achtman upon learning of Owens' association with the agency, leading to her application status being uncertain or dropped.
9 days ago
Amanda Achtman, a Jewish-Catholic pro-life advocate from Canada, applied to join the Catholic Speakers Organization (CSO) in June 2025 but was rejected after raising concerns about featured speaker Candace Owens.1
CSO promotes over 400 vetted, "diocesan approved" Catholic speakers, including Bishop Robert Barron and Dr. Scott Hahn, for parishes and groups.1
Achtman received initial enthusiastic approval from CSO Director of Operations Wendy Jasinski.1
She objected to sharing a platform with Owens due to antisemitic rhetoric, prompting CSO founder Joe Condit to deflect concerns over months before declining her application in January 2026.1
Owens, 36, is a prominent conservative commentator with nearly six million YouTube subscribers, formerly with Turning Point USA, PragerU, and Daily Wire.1
She left TPUSA in 2019 after comments minimizing Hitler's actions outside Germany and parted from Daily Wire in 2024 over suggestions of a Jewish "ring" shielding horrific acts in Hollywood.1
Owens has faced criticism from figures like Dennis Prager for engendering hatred of Jews, despite her anti-Zionist defenses.1
Post-2024, she called Judaism a "pedophile-centric religion" involving demons and child sacrifice during a YouTube interview.1
Owens announced her reception into the Catholic Church in April 2024 via Instagram, followed by a "Welcome Home Mass" hosted by Catholics for Catholics.1
Despite Church teachings like Nostra Aetate decrying antisemitism, she continued conspiracy theories, including claims about Brigitte Macron and Charlie Kirk's death.1
CSO claims rigorous screening, but Owens lacks a diocesan letter of good standing; Nashville Diocese confirmed no contact or approval.1
Achtman highlighted risks to Catholic witness, as Owens' association shapes Jewish perceptions of Catholicism.1
Assess Catholic speakers’ selection criteria and theological consistency
Selecting Catholic speakers—such as those for catechetical sessions, conferences, retreats, or evangelization events—must prioritize personal virtues, ecclesial communion, and unwavering fidelity to Church teaching. Drawing from magisterial guidelines, criteria emphasize proven faith, moral integrity, apostolic zeal, and community endorsement, while theological consistency demands rejection of discrimination, authentic proclamation of the Gospel, and dynamic actualization of doctrine without compromise.
Catholic tradition outlines precise, controllable criteria for roles involving public teaching or preaching, analogous to catechists and ecclesiastical leaders. These ensure speakers are not merely knowledgeable but exemplary witnesses.
"A basic rule is that no one should be accepted as a candidate unless he or she is positively motivated and is not seeking the post simply because another suitable job is not available. Positive qualities in candidates should be: faith that manifests itself in their piety and daily life; love for the Church and communion with its Pastors; apostolic spirit and missionary zeal..."
"As it is a question of ecclesial service, the decision belongs to the Pastor... the community should be involved in the proposal of candidates and their evaluation. At a later stage, the parish priest should present the candidates chosen to the Bishop..."
These criteria extend to catechetical centers or events, where additional scholastic or formation requirements apply.
Speakers must proclaim truth in fidelity to the deposit of faith, avoiding any distortion while adapting expression to contemporary contexts. This guards against presenting "a false god or a human ideal which is not really Christian."
"The task of theologians is, first of all, to construct a synthesis in which are underlined all the aspects and all the values of the mystery of Christ... A synthesis of this kind cannot but enrich the formula of Chalcedon through more soteriological perspectives."
"The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion."
"Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God..."
Recent teachings reinforce this: Nostra Aetate's principles demand dialogue as a "way of life" from conviction, not compromise, combating prejudice amid rising conflicts. Popes have consistently urged education against anti-Semitism as a "sin against God and humanity," fostering reconciliation.
Divergent interpretations arise in interreligious contexts, where speakers must balance evangelization with respect. More recent sources (e.g., Pope Leo XIV, 2025) take precedence, emphasizing hope-filled dialogue without abandoning faith. For young adults or mission settings, criteria adapt to cultural needs but retain essentials like orthodoxy.
In practice:
Catholic speakers' selection demands rigorous criteria of personal holiness, ecclesial process, and theological fidelity, ensuring they edify rather than confuse. By upholding anti-discrimination, doctrinal synthesis, and dialogical openness, the Church forms authentic witnesses. Implement these through pastoral discernment for fruitful evangelization.