‘Sent to do the Lord’s reaping’: Alabama man’s dark motives for targeting, threatening Norbertine abbey

After authorities arrested an Alabama man for threatening a California-based Norbertine Catholic monastery, new details about his motives have emerged. 

Authorities arrested Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, after a priest at St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California, reported receiving “suspicious, threatening emails,” according to a Sept. 2 news release. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department stated that deputies detained Richardson 60 miles from the monastery and found body armor, high-capacity magazines, brass knuckles, and knives in his vehicle, as CatholicVote previously reported. 

FOX 11 reported Sept. 4 that Richardson sent an email to St. Michael’s Abbey claiming he was “sent to do the Lord’s reaping before his harvest.”

“In his email, Richardson allegedly claimed to be Michael the Angel of Death and said that he chose St. Michael’s Abbey as it is one of the few churches in the nation that still practices Michaelmas,” FOX 11 reported. He then said he would travel soon to the abbey.

Officials said Richardson attended an afternoon service at the abbey Aug. 26 “and apparently followed the priest into a private area of the church following the service,” according to FOX 11. 

The outlet also reported that Richardson ran an Instagram account where he has posted videos talking about various topics. Catholic Arena, an X account, posted one clip of Richardson from the Instagram account speaking “aggressively against the Hail Mary prayer.” In the video, he orders viewers to “repent at once.” 

CatholicVote Director of Government Affairs Tom McClusky warned Sept. 5 that the video is unsettling, especially combined with the threats and the weapons found in Richardson’s vehicle. McClusky advised viewers to stay grounded spiritually and approach the whole topic carefully. 

“I’d caution against going too deep into such videos,” he said, adding that Catholic readers and viewers should “say a lot of prayers for others who watch them.”

Catholic readers may find it appropriate to pray the Saint Michael Prayer below.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the power of God cast into Hell Satan, and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.