They’re not happy.
Nearly 10,000 people have signed a petition to urge the World Meeting of Families to rescind an invitation to pro-LGBT priest James Martin.
Martin is outspoken on his support for the LGBT community within the church and this has caused a rift with some members of the clergy.
The Irish branch of the Tradition, Family, Property has started a petition to have Martin’s invitation to speak at the event rescinded.
The group has been gathering signatures to voice its opposition saying they’re “disappointed and greatly concerned that Fr. James Martin, S.J. will speak at the event.”
They’ve also sent a letter to Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin asking him to stop the cleric from speaking at the event while the petition will also be sent to Auxiliary Bishops of Dublin, Bishop Raymond Field and Bishop Éamonn Walsh.
Part of the letter reads:
“Fr. Martin makes no distinction between people who struggle courageously with same sex attraction (who cannot therefore be considered “LGBT”) and those who have yielded to an immoral and unnatural lifestyle condemned by the same Apostle whom he quotes above.
“Fr. Martin is a supporter of New Ways Ministry, a pro homosexual and lesbian religious organisation which has been declared gravely unacceptable by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has publicly accepted an award from this group, delivered a talk at their event and subsequently developed this talk in to a book.
“Fr. Martin is also in disagreement with the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s reference to homosexual inclination as “gravely disordered”. In this way he would prevent those with same sex inclination from arriving at a true understanding of their condition in the light of church teaching and God’s mercy. This is a great disservice to those whom he purports to help.
“We believe that sowing error and confusion should have no place at the World Meeting of Families. For this reason, we strongly request you to disinvite Fr. James Martin from speaking at so important an event.”
Speaking to America Magazine recently, Martin discussed his role as speaker at the conference.
“The organisers have asked me to speak about how parishes can welcome LGBT Catholics, as well as their parents and families. So I hope to share ‘best practices’ from parishes that have successfully reached out to the LGBT Catholic community,” Martin told America.
He has spoken in the past about his desire to build a bridge between the LGBT community and the church.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
