Pope Francis met Monday with Fr. James Martin, SJ, in a private audience in the apostolic palace inside the Vatican.
Martin said on Twitter Sept. 30, that his meeting with Pope Francis lasted 30 minutes, and that he shared with him “the joys and hopes, and the griefs and anxieties, of LGBT Catholics and LGBT people worldwide.”
Martin added that he “was so grateful to meet with this wonderful pastor.” The audience was private except for the presence of a papal interpreter.
In another tweet, Martin said the meeting was one of the highlights of his life. “I felt encouraged, consoled and inspired by the Holy Father today. And his time with me, in the middle of a busy day and a busy life, seems a clear sign of his deep pastoral care for LGBT Catholics and LGBT people worldwide.”
Martin is the author of “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity,” and speaks frequently on issues pertaining to homosexuality and Catholicism.
Earlier this month, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia urged caution about Martin’s message after the priest spoke at a Philadelphia university.
“Father Martin has sought in a dedicated way to accompany and support people with same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria. Many of his efforts have been laudable, and we need to join him in stressing the dignity of persons in such situations,” Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote in a Sept. 19 column published on his archdiocesan website.
“At the same time, a pattern of ambiguity in his teachings tends to undermine his stated aims, alienating people from the very support they need for authentic human flourishing. Due to the confusion caused by his statements and activities regarding same-sex related (LGBT) issues, I find it necessary to emphasize that Father Martin does not speak with authority on behalf of the Church, and to caution the faithful about some of his claims,” Chaput added.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
I WHEN SUBMITTING MY COMMENT A FEW MINUTES AGO…..I GOT A RESPONSE THAT MY COMMENT WAS A DUPLICATION THAT I HAD ALREADY SUBMITTED!
CAN’T BE, AS I JUST SAW THIS NEW POST 10 MINUTES AGO.
ALSO TO THE ADMINISTRATOR…..I SUBMITTED A COMMENT ON ANOTHER STORY REGARDING
‘RIGID’ YOUNG PRIESTS THAT THE HOLY FATHER SPOKE ABOUT, AND I NEVER SAW IT ON LINE.
WHAT’S UP?
The website does not ordinarily publish comments in all caps, but we are happy to review any others you’d like to submit in plain text case.
The Church has always and everywhere taught that she can only have one pope at a time.
So either Benedict or Francis is not really a pope.
And considering the above picture, I think it’s clear where we should starting placing our bets.
Pope Francis is Pope.
Then what is Pope Benedict?
Former Pope.
Pope Emeritus (formerly held the office, allowed to keep title as a means of honoring him and the office)
“Former Pope,” “Pope Emeritus (formerly held the office . . .”
I used to think the same thing myself, but then noticed things like Benedict still giving people his Apostolic Blessing. How can he do that if he’s no longer holding the Petrine Office?
CR, I do not know the answer but I have to assume since the Apostolic Blessing is not exclusive to the Pope (there are 3 times a year that Bishops give it and any priest can give it in the case of a dying person) that Benedict XVI is within his rights to use it. It does not mean that he is still Pope.
If you want to know why Beneidict is giving an Apostolic Blessing, perhaps you should ask him instead of us? I have zero idea who gets to give or bestow an “apostolic blessing”. Benedict is NOT a current Pope. Francis is Pope. Period.
“I have zero idea who gets to give or bestow an ‘apostolic blessing.'”
It can be given only by the Pope or one delegated by him. But when Benedict has given the Apostolic Blessing since 2013, he’s given it as his own and not as Francis’s. In a 2017 letter, for example, he wrote, “Mit meinem [my] apostolischen Segen bin ich.” I don’t know how to explain that except to say that Benedict must have never intended to abdicate the papacy (at least in the way he’s supposed to intend for a subsequent conclave to be valid while he’s alive).
CR, you are reading something into it that just is not there. I am sure that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI would be highly grieved by you misinterpretaton.
“you are reading something into it”
Why do you think that? The words I quoted are Benedict’s own, and Apostolic Blessings really are things that can’t be given on one’s own accord unless one holds the Petrine Office. But can two men hold the Petrine Office at the same time? For all of Catholic history, that answer’s been no. Christ gave the keys of Heaven to one man, not two; and He gave that man, not two sets of keys, but one.
“With ‘pope emeritus,’ I tried to create a situation in which I am absolutely not accessible to the media and in which it is completely clear that there is only one pope,” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a letter to Cardinal Brandmuller
@Anonymous 10:48 pm:
I see your point, but the quotation doesn’t show that Benedict isn’t the Pope:
On the one hand, it is precisely Cdl. Brandmuller to whom Benedict gave his Apostolic Blessing, which proves that Benedict has tried to retain the Petrine Office (cf. Benedict’s 23 Nov 2017 letter).
On the other hand, Benedict thinks of the papacy as having a “collegial and synodal dimension,” i.e., as something that can be shared (cf. Ganswein’s 2016 address). So when we find Benedict saying something to the effect that someone else is Pope, this doesn’t mean that he believes he has not retained the office of the Pope; it only means he has a seriously erroroneous understanding of the papacy.
Also, I would keep in mind that Benedict has also spoken of his papacy as an “always and forever” and as something that has not been revoked — “non revoca questo” (Apr 2013). Facts like these make it morally impossible to see Benedict’s resignation as a complete, and so valid, abdication of the papacy.
CR, Benedict is not the Pope. Francis is the Pope. I think you should write Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. rather than putting more untruth on to the Internet. It is the sin of scandal.
CR, if you can be confused about who is the Pope, you need to be very cautious about your sources of information. Not every website that claims to be Catholic is faithfully Catholic. Please pray to Mary, St. Joseph and your Guardian Angel for protection from error. Always pray to the Holy Spirit. Read the Bible, the Catechism and good Catholic literature. Here is a list from a website: https://brandonvogt.com/best-catholic-books-of-all-time/
@ Anonymous 2:05: “putting more untruth on to the Internet. It is the sin of scandal.”
If you can show that I’ve written something false, I’d be happy to retract it. Otherwise, I really can’t say I see much merit to your accusation of sin.
Do you think He is?
Sad and disgusting, Viagano was right !, looking forward to NOT contributing to the next peter’s pence, religious retirement , etc..Look up martins rainbow rosary and his tweet picture of Our Lady our Guadalupe , disgusting and offensive to the faithful. Does this pope still wonder about the problems the church is having when he entertains a “priest” like this .
Anyone who openly dissents from Catholic moral teaching is welcome in Francis world. Jesus ate with sinners but always called them to repent – that’s the part this pope refuses to do. Wrong again Francis.
If the meeting was private, why is Rev. Martin tweeting about it?
Did the Pope tweet about it or did the Vatican issue any type of statement?
“Private” doesn’t mean “Confidential”.
Why can’t this Pope preach about the group, “Courage,” and encourage all gay Catholics to join this group?? Why can’t he also preach about the holy Virtue of Chastity, so necessary for living a true Christian life?? Why can’t he just be a good Catholic — and follow Christ– and lead souls to Heaven?? The true Christian life is hard– why can’t the Pope help struggling Catholics??
That’s a good and important point. Courage and EnCourage (for family and friends) provide great ministry for our brothers and sisters dealing with same-sex attraction and related issues, in accordance with the teachings of Christ and His Church.
Interesting that they met right before the upcoming synod. The question I have is, why are sins of the flesh of such great value to sodomites ? Nothing is attained.
Because they are ruled by their passions, so they those sins affirmed by the Church
They met because Martin is editor-at-large of America magazine, and participated in an international gathering of journalists covering the Church, so he happenned to be “in the neighborhood”.
“birds of a feather….
Let’s see; James Martin should not even be a priest. He is a consistent scandal to Catholics, but he does provide a needed Happy Face for the Leftist NewChurch and its Homo-advocacy. Francis is simply lost as Pope, or worse. It seems correct, as many have written, that we are being tested as Catholics, and as human beings on God’s created Earth. We certainly insult Christ and Our Father without limitation, with our tolerance for abortion, and for widespread sexual license, among other things. There is a reason that God commanded us to act in a certain way, and why Christ came into our lives by assuming a human nature. Enabling Fr. Martin mocks God’s love and mercy.
The pic is to blatantly slap all who do not go along with Martin and who correct his errors!!!
And Cardinal Burke can’t even get a response to a letter he and a few other traditional Cardinals sent to the Pope!!!!!!
I vote for Cardinal Burke or Sarah for Pope :)
Me, too! I would LOVE to have either Cardinal Burke or Cardinal Sarah as our Pope! Right now– we certainly do not have a true Catholic Church, with a true Catholic Pope! Since when does the Catholic Church approve of– or sympathize wirh– disordered acts of sexual perversion?? NO!! Our Blessed Lord taught us CHASTITY!!
So let’s start with facts, not opinion or hearsay. I read an article about Fr. Martin on this site a few days ago, and then read the entire article in America. There was not one word that didn’t agree with the teachings of the Church In fact, it made a point of supporting the strengthening of Church teaching on homosexuality. So about the facts. Before writing an opinion piece, quote what Fr. Martin wrote or said that is against Church teachings. Be careful though, because the Church teaches that all humans are born in the image of God, that we should respect and welcome people with disordered proclivities, etc. The Church teaches that it is not a sin to be homosexual. No opinion without facts.
Well, Bob One, I think Fr James Martin, SJ., and his “America” magazine, are very deceptive! I read the warnings of Archbishop Chaput on this matter– you can easily find this information on EWTN’ s National Catholic Register, online– and its affiliate, Catholic News Agency.
Bob One Martin plays word games, of course he won’t come out directly against Church teaching he does in a very subtle way. Like he believes gay couples should kiss during the sign of peace….drip drip drip……Thankfully the TLM doesn’t have to deal with it
Bob One, thanks for giving the George Soros “enabler” speech, which is common to those that reject Catholic teachings on homosexuality and its insult to Natural Law. Unlike what you imply, the Catechism recognizes that the “inclination” of being homosexual is itself is “objectively disordered,” and that all homosexuals are “called to chastity.” (CCC 2357-2359) Fr. Martin does usually recognize what the Church teaches, he just wants to change it (yes, he does advocate things such as homosexuals kissing at Mass’s Sign of Peace, and other things). He mistranslates the call for “respect” as a call to permit active homosexual sex (such as having relationships blessed).
See, the comments are better when punctuated with facts and examples. The comments also sounded more like “I disagree with …” than “I dislike …” Perhaps a discourse on “objectively disordered” would be worthwhile. It’s important to ensure that that is not interpreted as a sin, but a difference from natural law. How about a discussion about gays being born in the image of God? That, too, could have some value in our journey to holiness, don’t you agree. Since I know nothing about Soros, except that he is rich, maybe someone could teach us about his teachings.
Bob One– as you may already know– George Soros is very rich, immoral, and is quite anti-Catholic! You might want to read what Abp. Chaput has to say, on the serious problem of Fr. James Martin, S.J.!
You might want to read Martin’s reply to Chaput.
Anon, I read the Archbishop’s comments. He warned us, but didn’t say why he was warning us. Lots of people don’t like Fr. Martin, it seems from the comments, because he doesn’t condemn every gay to the fires of hell as a resort of first instance. Again, we need specifics, not opinions, don’t you think?
Bob One– How strange, that you completely missed what Abp
Chaput was trying to say! (Unless, of course– you simply weren’t interested!)
Bob one, according to you no one is in risk of Hell, if you really believe that, why did Christ sacrifice Himself at the Cross if no one is in risk of damnation..
I think he says very clearly why he is warning people.
http://catholicphilly.com/2019/09/archbishop-chaput-column/father-james-martin-and-catholic-belief/
And a follow up article with a compilation of statements from other Bishops is here:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/after-chaput-warning-bishops-weigh-in-on-fr-james-martin-28020
Cardinal Sarah’s Wall Street Journal op-ed is here:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-catholics-can-welcome-lgbt-believers-1504221027
Ebony and Ivory look a tad rigid in their matching separates. The chairs are straight-backed too. Why, even Jeeves the valet looks stiff as a board (and bored). Chill out, gentlemen! There’s more to life than clerical fashions and gender dysphoria.
Christ died for all…ALL MEANS ALL! Christ wants all to be saved. I think Fr. Martin and Pope Francis are trying to preach the Gospel to all…including LGTBQ.
No Christ died for Many NOT Alll
Bohemond, Scripture teaches that Christ died for ALL. https://biblehub.com/drb/2_corinthians/5.htm
Such a huge room, yet the Pope’s chair is about to scrape the wall! Surely this means that the devil is present in the room, that the Pope isn’t Pope and Martin isn’t a priest!
“Bob One,” again you mislead: Men and Women are born in the image of God, not their sexual preferences and practices. And, what is it about your whining about the need for “facts and examples” that is not met by references to the Catholic Catechism? The status of preferring people of the same sex is not sinful, but it is disordered; acting on that desire is sinful, each and every time. Homosexual apologists do not like this conclusion. And, no, there is no “gay” gene either. SSA must be recognized and rejected by those who experience it, and relief sought.
When Christ’s s holy teachings are correctly taught– then, everyone will know clearly, what the “LGBT” condition is, and what is expected, for them to lead a good, successful Christian life! Ambiguity, or the hope that Catholic teaching on LGBTs will “change” — as taught wrongly by Fr. Martin– is immature and unhelpful!– and does not represent true Church teaching at all! Useless! To be correct– this condition is “disordered,” and these people are called clearly, to a CHASTE life! They are lovingly made in God’s Image, and He wants them to be with Him, eternally, in Heaven– our goal! That is beautiful! Chastity and faithfulness to Christ, will help gays get to Heaven, no kidding! So– teach the truth, please!