In New Mexico, the scope of the conflict between the Diocese of Las Cruces and Voice of the Laity has shifted after Bishop Peter Baldacchino accused the leader of the organization of involvement in the theft of thousands of diocesan documents.
In a May 8 letter to the Basilica of San Albino in the town of Mesilla, Baldacchino was clarifying why Father Christopher Williams – who is strongly supported by the Voice of the Laity – was suspended from the church.
“In September 2025, the Diocese became aware that over sixty thousand private diocesan records were stolen. This was immediately reported to civil authorities and the Diocese began an internal investigation,” the bishop wrote.
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The bishop’s letter claimed the diocese became aware of the involvement of Williams and some of the employees of the basilica in the theft.
It also said the theft took place in the home of the leader of Voice of the Laity.
“According to testimony, Fr. Chris Williams directed these individuals to provide him with diocesan financial records,” the bishop continued. “The stolen records were downloaded to a drive provided by the leader of ‘Voice of the Laity’ and subsequently handed over to Fr. Chris Williams.”
The statement said the involvement of others is being investigated, and the diocese is considering its legal options with both government legal authorities and under church law.
“These acts exposed the Diocese and all parishes to a significant risk of misappropriation and theft. Fr. Chris Williams knew this but never stepped forward to report the theft to the Diocese or civil authorities,” the bishop said.
Voice of the Laity was established to question the involvement of the Neocatechumenal Way in Las Cruces.
The Neocatechumenal Way is a global movement founded in 1964 that forms small parish-based communities and claims one million members worldwide. Maltese-born Baldacchino is affiliated with the Neocatechumenal Way and is the first member of the movement to become a bishop in the United States.
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On June 6, 2025, the bishop sent a letter to priests of the Diocese of Las Cruces announcing plans to open two seminaries—St. Joseph Seminary and Redemptoris Mater Seminary. He said one would focus on formation for the local diocese and the other, ad extra, would prepare missionary priests for “wherever there is need.”
Redemptoris Mater seminaries are closely associated with the Neocatechumenal Way, and there are approximately a dozen in the United States.
Voice of the Laity has said the diocese’s finances – and the way the seminaries are funded – are too opaque.
It has held two meetings – one in August 2025 and one in September 2025 – on the issue of the influence the Neocatechumenal Way plays in Las Cruces. A third meeting was scheduled for May 11.
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In a statement released on May 10, the Voice of the Laity said there were “several serious inaccuracies and omissions” in the bishop’s letter.
The group said its members were unaware of any financial investigation being conducted by members of the parish, except for the leader, who was not serving on the organization’s behalf.
“[Voice of the Laity’s] focus is on raising awareness of concerns about the influence and practices of the Neocatechumenal Way within our parishes and Diocese,” their statement says.
“First, it is important to state clearly that the parishioners who raised concerns about diocesan finances and governance did not act out of malice, criminal intent, or hatred toward the Church,” the statement said.
“Their motivation was love for Christ, love for His Church, and concern for the future of our Diocese. They believed they were acting under protections commonly associated with whistleblower activity and sought to bring transparency to serious matters that many faithful had questioned for years,” the lay group continued.
However, the group’s statement did defend the intentions of those being accused by the diocese.
“Those involved were not attempting to harm the Church but to seek accountability for concerns that had repeatedly been ignored or left unanswered,” they said.
They said questions being raised by parishioners in the diocese include: How the Redemptoris Mater Seminary is funded; how United in Ministry funds are allocated; who is financing housing and support for missionary families brought into the diocese.
They also mention questions regarding financially struggling parishes they say were denied assistance for much-needed repairs and renovation and say extensive international travel by diocesan leadership continued while local parish needs remained unmet. The group also asks why individuals who questioned certain expenditures allegedly linked to the Neocatechumenal Way faced retaliation or dismissal.
The group also said testimony from those directly involved “indicates that Fr. Christopher Williams neither directed parishioners to download diocesan records nor recruited anyone to engage in wrongdoing.”
“We recognize that mistakes may have been made by individuals seeking to raise concerns,” the group says.
“Yet there is a profound moral and legal distinction between malicious theft for personal gain and actions motivated by a desire to expose what were believed to be serious irregularities affecting the Church,” the statement added.
In his letter, Baldacchino is unable to give further details due to the criminal investigation taking place, while thanking Father Michael Williams for filling in for his brother, Father Chris Williams.
“I know that the news of these events will cause you great disappointment, as it has me,” the bishop said.
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