There's going to be a fight.
Fr. James Martin, S.J., that is.
They got him. Church Militant, LifeSite, Fr. Z, and might as well add Austin Ruse and Crisis Magazine, and those who follow these people and their sites. Fr. Martin made the announcement Friday evening on his Facebook page:
Dear friends: Theological College, the seminary at The Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC, today cancelled a talk I was to give on Alumni Day, on Oct. 4, thanks to a campaign by Church Militant, the priest known as "Father Z" as well as Lifesite News. - Fr. Martin, S.J.Fr. Martin lists a couple other engagements of his that were cancelled, noting the experience of those on the receiving end of the complaints:
That campaign caused a storm of phone calls, emails and messages to Theological College, which included, I was told, people screaming at the receptionists who answered the phone. In the end, they felt that the expected protests and negative publicity would distract from Alumni Day.
This follows the cancellation of another lecture at the Annual Investiture Dinner of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in New York City, scheduled on Oct. 21. The organizers told me that they had received angry emails and calls from several members of the Order, most of whom, they believed, had found out about my invitation from another campaign initiated by Church Militant. - ibid
The power of Catholic social media.
I used to think it was an exaggeration on the part of the more traditionally minded Catholic bloggers who boasted about their victories, but once again, I see how wrong I was. In the words of one very determined lady when commenting about another priest who got himself in trouble online, "I doubt Rev. Roscia knows the power of Catholic blogosphere." I think we all know it now.
I guess I have even more reason to pray for Fr. Martin now.
This will escalate, I'm sure.
Based on what he writes, he doesn't seem to follow Church teaching so it's appropriate to question if he's the right speaker.
ReplyDeleteKnowing only what I've read about him on your blog and one other,
I wouldn't want to go to his talk because he doesn't follow Church teaching. I try to do my due diligence so there aren't surprises. One result is the contributions I have for my spiritual director's bonfire.
ReplyDeleteWhat he doesn't seem to realize is that the outrage is that Catholic organizations were hosting him when his message doesn't follow Church teaching. Of course he takes it personally, he has been dumped from speaking engagements. In time I hope he understands that you can't have speakers whose message doesn't follow Church teaching, so he shouldn't expect to speak at Church events, unless they're churches who don't follow Christ's teaching
I'll pray for him.
He shouldn't be surprised that people complained and got him dumped from his speaking engagements. He quite openly dissents from Church teaching.
ReplyDeleteIt would be difficult not to take it personally but the bottom line is he has gotten away with public dissent at Catholic venues for years.
The bigger problem was that Catholic institutions supported his dissent.
The rules seem to be changing and now people are speaking out for keeping Catholic organizations Catholic.
Catholic U came to Fr.'s defense today. What I've read is that though Fr.'s current book doesn't literally depart from Catholic teaching, but in his live talks he seems to do so, citing the belief people are born gay, and so on. I understand the protests by those who do not want false teachings and error to be taught in Catholic institutions - any reasonable person understands that.
DeleteHopefully this 'blow-back' will help Fr. clarify and support Catholic teaching and correct any misunderstanding. He's such a likable guy. I've never had a problem with the language the Church uses and think a faithful catechesis is sufficient to correct popular but false 'corrections' offered by lgbtq advocates.
CUA statement: https://communications.catholic.edu/news/2017/09/statement-martin.html
DeleteI fully agree with Nan. I do not agree, however, with screaming at and publicly trashing a priest, receptionists and that kind of behavior that seems to have happened over this incident.
ReplyDeleteI was counseled by a wise Secular Franciscan friend that there are three ways to deal with someone whose words and actions go against the Faith:
1) To shrilly accuse the person of heinous sin, heresy, or whatever, and condemn him to hell;
2) To smile and look the other way, confident that I am right but that I must not say anything to upset the other person, and that it is more important to "get along" than to correct my brother or sister than to help that person see the truth;
3) Or to calmly, quietly, respectfully, firmly, approach the brother or sister and logically and lovingly inform him or her of the Truth, without losing myself to anger and over-emotion.
Of course, the way of my good St. Francis is the third option. It also opens the door to the person in error to return to faithfulness without being humiliated publicly. It creates productive dialog, and the person in error is more likely to listen to the truth about the Faith and in future, to consider his or her words and actions.
We don't get any further toward universal faithfulness to God when we alienate each other. We are in this together - it isn't just about us.
God's peace, blessings, and protection to all here - Susan, ofs
The third way is the best way. Thanks Susan.
DeleteI'm cynical enough to take his statements with s grain of salt. We don't know what happened when people complained.
DeleteAmen, Susan. Step three is the way of the Lord indeed.
DeleteWhen folks are too busy presuming to "have all the information they need" regarding someone with whom they disagee then resort to name calling/shaming, the beauty of the Truth gets marred and muddied since in my opinion, the name callers lose credibility and my attention.
An example of such came to mind: those who are in the habit of calling others by that ugly slur, "homosexualists." One prominent Cardinal has been called that and frequently and now Father James Martin too.
Two supposed prominent online Catholics come to mind who seem to use that word quite loosely, one a priest, the other, one who claims to have once lived the lifestyle.
Present the beauty of the Truth with charity and conviction with regards to this thorny issue without your personal bias/self-righteous indignation.
Put on the mind of Christ, encouraging with prayer and with hope that all will come to the fullness of faith and truth IN CHARITY. Intercede before the Lord for those who are perceived to be in the wrong that their path be made straight.
I'm no expert in these matters on homosexual issues but after reading the commentary here, it is not going to go away anytime soon but only get uglier I think anyway.
If I am calling you names while hiding behind my "faith" if I am speaking the truth to you but with a sneer because "I know the truth and you don't" why bother?
Why bother, since what good is Catholic truth without humility, charity, a desire for the goodwill of my neighbor?
Terry,
Thank you because I learned about what I lack regarding my neighbor. I'm going to be praying for a greater charity towards all while striving to live in truth.
I hope I can do so with the help of Jesus, Mary and St Joseph!
Peace be with you and all!
War of words for now.....remember the Rad Trads have an arsenal of weapons. More weapons than a small central American country.
ReplyDeleteRemember Rad Trads spend more time at the gun range than they do meditating on the passion of Christ.
This was has reached the second stage - words.
Next comes deeds......
It looks as if this protest is more inclusive than rad-Trads. I read Austin Ruse's piece on Crisis, and he seems justifiably angered by the idea that Fr. Martin would try to get him fired for speaking out against him (Martin). I disagree with Ruse's invective, but his calling out Martin is actually his right, especially considering the fact that Fr.'s perceived censorious threat could in turn harm Ruse. Ruse isn't a religious but a layman and his work is his livelihood.
DeleteThat said, I have sympathy for both. But it isn't my fight. I'm happy with Catholic teaching. :)
Priests and religious orders will be hunted down, and made to die a cruel death........
ReplyDeleteThese groups who got him disinvited are doing the work of God. They are like the prophet Elijah going toe to toe with the false prophets of Baal. Fr. Martin should be censured by the Church until he repents of his heresy. We must pray for his conversion.
ReplyDeleteWhat?
Delete"Ex" Sodomite Gary Voris is now prophet Elijah.
FR Z who carries a gun on him while saying mass is prophet Elijah?
No. You're dead wrong.
You dishonor the prophet Elijah.
On Facebook Fr. Martin is publishing all sorts of support from secular and Catholic media, including America as well as Jesuit superiors. So I would strongly advice people like Voris and Church Militant to lawyer up if they intend to continue to discredit Fr. Martin and accuse him of heresy and so on. Just saying. The pope is afraid of rigid priests because 'they bite' - I think they all do when cornered.
DeleteOh and how many Rad Trads will attend the CUA lecture? None.
ReplyDeleteThey are busybodies and are not doing the work of God.
They are all laymen with no authority over the Priest Fr. Martin. If you want it done right then these busybody laymen should have gone to his superior.
What's funny is I bet that Fr. Martin does not change his views and that should infuriate the Rad Trad community to no end.
And if Fr. Martin ends up murdered...we know who to look for.....
"He's such a likable guy." That's the problem. As somebody who has struggled with same-sex attraction his whole life and who has found healing and redemption in the beautiful teachings of the Church, I can only say that Fr James Martin is a serpent. He dissembles, speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He knows very well what he's doing, and so does his fan club (read their comments on his Facebook posts). Back when I was a seeker and a new convert, I might have fallen for his poison. Thank God I know better now and can resist the temptation he is seductively blowing to people like me. But when I think of the other people he's seduced, endangering their souls, it hits me right in the gut. Fr James Martin is promoting evil.
ReplyDeleteThanks James.
Delete