Statement regarding local photographer and his approach to young Catholic women

The Department of Communications has recently been made aware of concerns involving an Oakland County-based photographer, Anthony Raphael Perlas, who also presents himself as Anthony Tridentine and as the leader of the Latin Mass Society. That society—not to be confused with the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales—is not affiliated or approved by the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Mr. Perlas’ Latin Mass Society also serves as a modeling agency. One of its photographic enterprises focuses primarily on taking pictures of Catholic women—young adults, teenagers and pre-teens—clothed and wearing chapel veils and posing in various settings and positions, some suggestive. Mr. Perlas calls these models “Crown Maidens.” He describes his work as a “…blend of Catholic evangelization and aesthetic modeling” or “Church modeling.”

In social media postings, Mr. Perlas explains there is also a secular component to his work, including online photographs showing full nudity. Mr. Perlas deems these images “appropriate” by citing St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, stating that we should not see women as “objects…we should see them as beautiful daughters of God like Eve… the Lord’s artwork.” Mr. Perlas concludes “…if the Eucharist can be exposed (during Mass in a public event) so too can women be exposed.”