By Catholic Citizens of Illinois
Fr. James Martin, SJ has been invited to speak at the Holy Name Cathedral on March 22 and 23. It is of particularly concern that this invitation will be seen as an endorsement of positions taken by him that appear to be at odds with the Church’s moral teachings, particularly given the circumstances under which this invitation was extended. Indeed, by providing him this platform, we fear his appearance could only be seen as condoning “act[s] in defiance of [the Church’s] fundamental moral principles,” which the USCCB has long forbidden”
Specifically, and without limitation, Fr. Martin publicly endorses:
- Rejecting the Church’s teaching, that homosexual acts are of “grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered,” and “contrary to the natural law,” (CC 2357) allegedly because, “given what we now know about homosexuality” such language is “needlessly hurtful.”
- Rejecting the Church’s teaching on celibacy for those suffering same-sex attraction (CCC 2348), on the grounds that though knowledgeable of Church teachings regarding themselves, their duty of chastity, and the nature of the “homosexual act” (CCC 2357), as a “community” homosexuals have not “received” those teachings, such that these teachings are not “authoritative” as to them, and thereby also rejecting the obligation of every professing member of the Church to accept and submit themselves to that which the Church teaches.
- Rejecting the Church’s teaching that God created us male and female (CCC 2331, 2335), that we each are bound to accept our sexual identity (CCC 2333) and which also rejects “gender theory” as unequivocally, repeatedly, and publicly have Pope Francis, and before him, Pope Benedict XVI.
- Rejecting the Church’s teaching that, if “homosexual” (defined by the Catechism as those engaging in homosexual relations and who thus are called to chastity (CCC 2357, 2359)) one cannot remain a “Catholic in good standing,” as Fr. Martin puts it.
- Rejecting the Church’s censure of Sr. Jeannine Gramick, and of her New Ways ministry (which censure has never been withdrawn), even to the extent of asserting that she speaks “with authority” and should be elevated to sainthood.
In his public remarks, Fr. Martin also is unduly divisive in the extreme and lacking in charity. Repeatedly, he describes “the institutional Church” as “homophobic,” claims that the “hate of homosexuals is rampant in the Church;” and castigates anyone who defends the Catechism, depicting Catholics who disagree with him variously as “traditionalist, homophobic, close-minded;” as “missionaries of hate;” and as the “Catholic alt-right.”
Further, he contends that Catholic institutions that fire employees acting in open defiance of Church teachings on homosexuality and marriage are motivated by “homophobia” and “hatred.” He also claims that “what the institutional Church has been focused on for the last 30-40 years” is “a misinterpretation of what’s important in the moral life.”
He even insinuates that many who criticizes his views are themselves closeted homosexuals, acting out their own “complicated sexuality,” and referring to them, with condescension, as “self-professed. . .former gay people,” whose “own junk inside gets focused outwards on people who are actually trying to live a more integrated life.”
These views appear to constitute “scandal,” given that Fr. Martin has made these remarks as a credentialed Roman Catholic priest. Indeed, Fr. Martin’s appearances at other venues—for example Catholic University’s Theological College—have been met with controversy and even cancelled, out of concern for giving grave scandal.
We understand that Fr. Martin is not expected to speak on homosexuality at Holy Name Cathedral. Given his notoriety, how would hosting Fr. Martin by the Archdiocese not be leading the faithful to assume it endorses Fr. Martin’s views on homosexuality, an endorsement that itself would be scandalous? Worse, this apparent endorsement would be compounded were Fr. Martin allowed to sell his well-known book regarding homosexuality, in connection with his appearance, something that reportedly he often does.
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[1] https://www.ncronline.org/news/media/chicago-cardinal-extends-invite-fr-martin-amid-cancellations
[1] http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/church-teaching/catholics-in-political-life.cfm (viewed March 7, 2018)
[1] https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-gay-vatican-consultant-catechism-teaching-on-homosexuality-needs-to-be ; https://religionnews.com/2017/06/06/this-top-vatican-official-is-quietly-moving-catholics-toward-lgbt-inclusion/ (Though disclaiming he speaks as a theologian, Fr. Martin advocates for referring to our homosexual brethren as “differently ordered,” effectively abolishing any sense of homosexuality as being against nature).
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuMNEBRncKg
“63. Alerted by their sensus fidei, individual believers may deny assent even to the teaching of legitimate pastors if they do not recognize in that teaching the voice of Christ, the Good Shepherd. ‘The sheep follow [the Good Shepherd] because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers’ (Jn 10:4-5). For St. Thomas, a believer, even without theological competence, can and even must resist, by virtue of the sensus fidei, his or her bishop if the latter preaches heterodoxy. In such a case, the believer does not treat himself or herself as the ultimate criterion of the truth of faith, but rather, faced with materially ‘authorized’ preaching which he or she finds troubling, without being able to explain exactly why, defers assent and appeals interiorly to the superior authority of the universal Church.” [Emphasis added.]
See also https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2017/08/sensus-fidei-and-fr-martin
[1] https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/08/22/popes-critique-gender-theory-emboldens-bishops-speak/ (“For Francis, “gender theory is an error of the human mind that leads to so much confusion.”“); https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/10/05/pope-defends-malefemale-differences-well-womens-equality/ (“The biologic and psychological manipulation of sexual difference, which biomedical technology allows one to see as open to free choice – which it’s not! – is thus likely to dismantle the source of energy that nourishes the alliance of man and woman and makes it creative and fruitful.”); https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pope-condemns-technologies-make-gender-transitions-easier-n808081
[1]https://orthodoxyindialogue.com/2017/08/22/a-chat-with-father-james-martin-sj-by-giacomo-sanfilippo/; http://theologyindialogue.org/building-bridges-with-james-martin/ (at 25:21). Recently the well-known Princeton professor of Jurisprudence, and author Robert P. George asked Fr. Martin to affirm his adherence to Church teachings on sex and marriage. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2017/10/20211/ To date, Fr. Martin to date has declined to do so.
[1] http://www.usccb.org/news/2010/10-028.cfm “No one should be misled by the claim that New Ways Ministry provides an authentic interpretation of Catholic teaching and an authentic Catholic pastoral practice. Their claim to be Catholic only confuses the faithful regarding the authentic teaching and ministry of the Church with respect to persons with a homosexual inclination . . . New Ways Ministry has no approval or recognition from the Catholic Church and that they cannot speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful in the United States.”
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMcGQS-Faqg (at 1:09:10); https://www.crisismagazine.com/2017/fr-jim-martin-canonizes-sr-jeannine-gramick The reference to Sr. Gramick’s “speaking with authority,” appears to be intentionally evoking Matthews’ description of how Jesus’ teachings were received by the temple scribes. Cf. Matthew 7:28
[1] http://theologyindialogue.org/building-bridges-with-james-martin/ (at 23:21).
[1] http://theologyindialogue.org/building-bridges-with-james-martin/ (at 26:28).
[1] http://theologyindialogue.org/building-bridges-with-james-martin/ (at 26:30-28:26)
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/09/16/popular-priest-disinvited-from-catholic-universitys-seminary-after-protests-over-his-lgbt-book/?utm_term=.db5b4b3b0ac6 See also https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lzZs9UKb3rDjc8s-70HyL1gsDQIlsF0LYg9THkacpc0/edit#
[1] http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P80.HTM CCC 2285, 2287:
2285 Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
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2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”
[1] Can. 212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they [the laity] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.