Jesuit Priest to Accept Award from Dissident Gay Catholic Group

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PIKESVILLE, Md. (ChurchMilitant.com) - Father James Martin, S.J. is expected to accept an award for his embrace of homosexuality.

On October 30, the "Catholic" pro-sodomy organization New Ways Ministry will present Fr. Martin with the Bridge Building award "in recognition of his ministry of communication which has helped to expand the dialogue on LGBT issues in the Catholic Church."

Father Martin is the Editor-at-Large of the often dissident Jesuit magazine "America," and has a constant media presence on Facebook and Twitter.

In 2015 he authored a post on Facebook saying, "No issue brings out so much hatred from so many Catholics as homosexuality. Even after over 25 years as a Jesuit, the level of hatred around homosexuality is nearly unbelievable to me, especially when I think of all of the wonderful LGBT friends I have."

He continued, " Love means: getting to know LGBT men and women, spending time with them, listening to them, being challenged by them, hoping the best for them, and wanting them to be a part of your lives, every bit as much as straight friends are part of your lives."

He commented on the Church's teaching that homosexual acts are objectively disordered, saying, "[F]or most LGBT people it is deeply offensive. Imagine being told that a deep part of you, the part that feels love, is disordered."

New Ways Ministry maintains it is a Catholic group but has been critical of Church teaching on homosexuality and the ban on female priestly ordination. The group was condemned by Cdl. Francis George of the archdiocese of Chicago, who said it "only confuses the faithful regarding the authentic teaching and ministry of the Church with respect to persons with a homosexual inclination."

"No one should be misled by the claim that New Ways Ministry provides an authentic interpretation of Catholic teaching and an authentic Catholic pastoral practice," Cdl. George had said.

"I wish to make it clear that," he continued, "like other groups that claim to be Catholic but deny central aspects of Church teaching, New Ways Ministry has no approval or recognition from the Catholic Church and that they cannot speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful in the United States."

Others who had received the award include Fr. Charles Curran and John J. McNeil. Curran was told by the Vatican in the late 1980s to stop teaching theology because of his dissent from Catholic doctrine. McNeill was a homosexual Jesuit who pioneered so-called "queer theology" and was eventually expelled from the order.

New Ways Ministry is one of several organizations that calls itself Catholic while openly advocating positions opposed to Church teaching. The Arcus Foundation — founded by billionaire Jon Stryker — is a major funder of LGBT activist groups and funds New Ways Ministry and Catholics for Choice, among others.

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