He’s been targeted by the group before | Photo: HarperOne/Youtube
Nearly 10,000 people have signed an open letter to remove pro-LGBTI Priest James Martin from addressing Catholic Church event World Meeting of Families in Dublin.
The event, taking place in Ireland from 21 to 26 August at Phoenix Park, focuses on issues affecting faith and family life. American Jesuit priest Fr. James ‘Jim’ Martin will be attending to deliver a presentation on ‘Showing welcome and respect in our Parishes for LGBTQI+ People and their Families’.
However, this has caused controversy with the Irish branch of conservative group Tradition, Family and Property. The letter asks Dublin archbishop Diarmuid Martin to uninvite him from the event. 9,733 people signed it.
Pro-LGBTI priest under-fire
The letter says: ‘We are disappointed and greatly concerned that Fr. James Martin, S.J. will speak at the event, casting a shadow over its proceedings. Fr. Martin is well known for his dissent from Church teaching on sexual morality.
‘He has articulated views which condone homosexual behaviour in contradiction of the Magisterium.’
They add: ‘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 [St Paul].’
The letter goes on to condemn his association with New Ways Ministry – a group that advocates for LGBTI equality within the Catholic Church and community – as well as his disagreement with referring to homosexuality as “gravely disordered”.
Previously called the ‘smoke of Satan’
The organisation has frequently organised against Fr. James Martin. In February 12,659 people in the American branch signed a petition to have him uninvited from a presentation at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in New Jersey.
The World Meeting of Families has several presentations taking place over five days. Topics include the impact of technology on the family, as well as the impact of conflict on faith and the family.
Pope Francis will attend for the final two days.
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