Mexican diocese exposes self-styled “spiritual father” selling fake Catholic rites

The Diocese of La Paz issued a statement declaring that Gregorio Díaz Mora holds no authority to perform Catholic sacraments anywhere in Baja California Sur. Despite presenting himself online as a “spiritual father,” he has been advertising and conducting paid video-call weddings, baptisms and other rites, leveraging photos of the local Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe to appear authentic. His presence spans multiple social-media channels, including a TikTok account with roughly 140,000 followers.

Church leaders emphasized that, according to canon law, rites performed by an unordained individual are not recognized, forcing participants to repeat them with a legitimate priest if they desire official acknowledgment. This warning marks the first official diocesan alert against such impostors in the region, and officials advise the faithful to confirm a priest’s credentials with a parish before spending money on ceremonies. The diocese cautioned that the scheme could cause confusion among Catholics about their affiliation with the Church.