Father James Martin Supports Catholic Teaching: Father John Zuhlsdorf Attacks Him

The traditional/conservative Catholic blogosphere have been unrelenting in their condemnation of Father James Martin. They have attacked him over and over again because of his compassionate stance towards gay people. Father Martin has been preaching that, in accordance with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we should treat gay people with respect and dignity. The blogosphere has accused Father Martin of heresy and teaching against Church doctrine.

People like Father John Zuhlsdorf have pressured organizations to reject Father Martin and cancel his appearances. A particularly pointed attack by Father Zuhlsdorf against Father Martin resulted in the cancellation of one of Father Martin's appearances. The post is entitled, "Should a seminary headline a homosexualist activist as a speaker?" Father Z was sparing in his words, but the fact that he would label a fellow priest in good standing as a "homosexualist" is truly unconscionable. 

Father Z later protested [HERE] that he "did NOT campaign for anything. I didn’t ask anyone to call TC. I asked some questions. Period." Oh give me a break, Father Z. Just "asking some questions" was your campaign. You are not fooling anyone except yourself and your willingly blind followers.  In that post, Father Z quoted from an article by Father Martin in which Father Martin discussed the attacks against him. Father Z made his usual sarcastic comments [Z comments in red]:

So I share with you as much as I can in the interests of transparency, which we need in our church. And to show you the outsize influence of social media sites motivated by fear, hatred and homophobia.  [Rubbish.  He is a public figure.  He defends even homosexual acts, not just homosexuals as human beings.  He is, right now, a lightning rod.]

So we have Father Z accusing Father James Martin of defending "even homosexual acts, not just homosexuals as human beings." Father Martin has said repeatedly that right now all he is trying to do is lead the Church in treating the gay community with love, respect and dignity, as we should treat all people. Father Martin has repeatedly said that we can't even begin to come together until we learn respect for one another. Father Z seems unwilling to learn this lesson.

Well, Father Martin has finally bowed to the pressure from the Catholic blogosphere, and has published his defense of Catholic teaching. Yes, you read that right - Father James Martin has published a defense of Catholic teaching. You can read his article HERE. These are some of the main points in the article.

Response to An Ex-Gay Cradle Catholic

When people react to and condemn Father James Martin, I learn a lot more about those who are reacting than I do about Father Martin.  Father Martin is a lightening rod for all of those who believe that gay people basically make the choice to be gay and that all gays could become straight, or at least leave the gay lifestyle and live celibate lives,  if someone just laid out all of the rules of the Church to them and basically said, "Straighten up and fly right" (pun intended).  I am really amazed at how often I hear this line from "ex-gays".

The latest to push this line of thinking is Robert Oscar Lopez, who published an article on stream.org entitled, "As an Ex-Gay Cradle Catholic, I Know the Devastation That Awaits Those Who Follow Fr. James Martin."  Mr. Lopez tells us that he was brought up in a liberal Catholic environment and was never informed of the dangers of sexual sin.  As a result, he became a promiscuous gay man, the blame for which he lays directly at the feet of "liberal Catholics":

I grew up in a Catholic milieu that was nothing if not gay-friendly. And I paid quite a price for that.