WASHINGTON, June 30, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — The parish council at historic Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Jesuit-run parish where President Joe Biden normally attends Sunday Mass, has issued a statement declaring that their church “will not deny the Eucharist to persons presenting themselves to receive it.”
The parish declaration is clearly a response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) stated intention to draft a formal statement on the Eucharist addressing Church teaching on worthiness to receive Holy Communion, which will bear upon the reception of the Eucharist by pro-abortion Catholic politicians.
While a parish council has no authority over the distribution and conferral of the sacraments, the parish’s Jesuit pastor’s continued silence signals his agreement with the council’s proclamation.
“We stand with our Archbishop, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, concerning the issues surrounding offering the Eucharist to American politicians,” begins the brief dispatch. The Washington, D.C., archbishop is one of several outspoken U.S. prelates who have decried the USCCB’s move to protect the Eucharist from being received unworthily.
The parish council’s declaration continues:
Cardinal Gregory serves as one of the most prominent ecclesiastical leaders in the current controversy and so it was therefore shocking and disappointing that his request to postpone the draft of portions of this document about the Eucharist received the minority of votes among the bishops. As Cardinal Gregory stated in the discussions leading up to the vote, “The strength of our voice in advancing the mission of Christ has been seriously weakened.” Sadly, the recent vote has caused considerable desolation among our parishioners as well as Roman Catholics throughout the nation.
Despite the protestations by Cardinals Gregory, Blase Cupich, and Joseph Tobin, the USCCB voted to move ahead with the effort by a wide margin, 168-55.
The foreignness of Biden’s ‘Catholicism’ to faithful Catholics
President Biden adheres to a brand of Catholicism that is foreign to faithful Catholics. He has made it clear that he embraces abortion and sodomy — as Vice President, he conducted a same-sex “wedding” — and has promised to squash religious liberty and conscience rights via the Equality Act.
After Biden attended Mass at Washington’s Cathedral of St. Matthew on the morning of his inauguration, Austin Ruse, the president of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-FAM), wrote:
Joe Biden ate and drank his own spiritual death. That he received the Holy Eucharist from the hands of a Cardinal of the Church adds scandal upon scandal. One radio wag called it a [M]ass for Planned Parenthood. And so, it was.
And yet Holy Trinity Parish decided to continue the scandal.
Holy Trinity: The perfect parish for Biden’s brand of ‘Catholicism’
Located just outside Georgetown University’s main gate and ensconced in the fashionable neighborhood by the same name, Holy Trinity is arguably the most effete liberal Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Washington, drawing well-heeled Catholic elites — who deem their own neighborhood parishes too “conservative” or too “rigid” — from wealthy suburbs around the city.
Earlier this year, the parish proclaimed its support for Black Lives Matter, a Marxist organization that aims to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure” and that demands abortion “rights.”
PETITION UPDATE (6/29/2021):
The Pope has written a note to Fr. James Martin, SJ, praising his fellow Jesuit’s controversial pro-LGBT ministry, saying it "reflects the closeness of God" and is in the "style of God."
The Pope’s note was written in response to a communication that Martin had sent Francis earlier, informing him of an upcoming LGBT conference organized by renegade New Ways Ministry (NWM), which has been denounced as non-Catholic ministry by the U.S. bishops and whose leaders defied the Vatican’s order to cease their affiliation with NWM decades ago.
In spite of the fact that Francis has done this, the Church still teaches that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered," and "under no circumstances can they be approved." (Catechism of the Catholic Church Para. 2357)
Therefore, when a priest, like James Martin, SJ - and, New Ways Ministry - adovcate for the normalization of homosexuality and transgenderism, without calling for chastity and repentence, we know that this style is most certainly not in the style of God.
Please continue to SIGN and share this petition asking the bishops of the United States to stop Martin's LGBT advocacy.
'On eve of LGBT Catholic conference, Pope Francis praised Fr. James Martin, SJ’s pro-LGBT ministry' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/on-eve-of-lgbt-catholic-conference-pope-francis-praised-fr-james-martin-sjs-pro-lgbt-ministry
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PETITION UPDATE (2/4/2020):
Fr. James Martin, SJ, can't resist telling bishops how to run their dioceses.
He recently opined that dioceses should stop firing homosexuals who are "married" by the state, saying that this is tantamount to discrimination.
But, of course, when it comes to such relationships, Bishops must discriminate between what is authentically Catholic and Christian, both under the natural law and in Revelation.
And, such people, who enter into a homosexual relationship and then have it publicly recognized by the state as something which nature and religion know can never be fruitful -- but, which conversely, can cause grave scandal to children -- cannot expect to hold positions in Catholic schools.
The two positions are contradictory, and not just in the way that other things are contradictory.
Homosexual "marriage" is a contradiction in terms, and is not only unnatural, but also confusing to young minds. And, not just about human nature, but also about the way that God has designed man and woman to be together, in marriage, in a lifelong, monogamous bond.
What Fr. Martin suggests is that bishops are free to take a sledge hammer to God's design...which, of course, is totally, totally wrong.
Bishops, please continue assert your right to protect the innocence of children as well as defend the institution of marriage.
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Fr. James Martin, SJ recently issued a tweet questioning the Bible's condemnation of homosexual acts.
Fr. Martin’s tweet quotes an article from the Center for Action and Contemplation in which Fr. Richard Rohr, a priest with a long record of dissenting from established Church teachings, favorably shares a pro-homosexuality missive from his “dear friend,” Methodist minister Walter Wink. In June of 2018, Fr. Rohr declared in a speech that “historically, scientifically, culturally,” the Bible is “a mass of contradictions from beginning to end.”
This is decidedly NOT what the Catholic Church teaches.
Thankfully, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, and Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban, South Africa, have both responded to Fr. James Martin’s tweet highlighting an article that questions the “biblical judgment” of “same-sex sexual behavior.”
Bishop Strickland issued a response yesterday evening on his own Twitter account:
“Thank you for acknowledging that you question scripture. If we go down that road where do we stop? I know you have lots of support but you are challenging the Deposit of Faith that I promised to defend. As a bishop I’ll keep defending it.”
This morning, Cardinal Napier also took to the popular social media platform to give his response to Fr. Martin’s tweet.
“How convenient to use slavery to justify support for homosexuality, totally overlooking the fact that the Bible is overwhelmingly the story of God freeing His People from all slavery — physical & political but also slavery to idols & false gods, to moral & spiritual aberrations!”
We give thanks to God for these examples of strong leadership from the episcopate!
But, we need more Shepherds to come out against Fr. Martin's LGBT advocacy, which is a stain on the Church's teaching and on Christ's admonition to, "Go, and sin no more!"
Thank you for SIGNING!
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Fr. James Martin is perhaps the most notorious pro-LGBT priest in the Catholic Church today. His public statements are opposed to the Church’s perennial teachings on sexuality, marriage, homosexuality, and transgenderism. They blind souls to the truth about human nature and the harsh reality of sin.
And, in spite of meeting with the Pope recently, which gave the veneer of respectability to his morally dangerous positions on the Church's teaching on sexuality, no-one has the authority to declare morally good or neutral, something which is actually intrinsically disordered -- not even the Pope.
Thankfully, however, there are some pastors of the Catholic Church who continue to place the constant teaching of the Church on faith and morals, and on sexuality, above human respect.
This petition, therefore, asks the Bishops of the Catholic Church to stop bowing to human respect, and ban Fr. James Martin from spreading his spiritual poison in their dioceses..."spiritual poison", because encouraging someone to continue in mortal sin is like giving poison to someone's soul, no matter how well-intentioned one may be.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia released a statement noting that Fr. Martin’s “statements and activities” have caused confusion.
- “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,” Chaput wrote. “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.”
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois quickly issued a statement supporting Chaput, saying that aspects of Martin’s teachings are “deeply scandalous,” and his “messages create confusion among the faithful and disrupt the unity of the Church.”
Bishop Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee has also opposed some of Martin’s statements.
And, in the Fall of 2018, Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland asked his fellow bishops to discern whether or not fraternal correction demands they ban from their dioceses Fr. James Martin and his pro-gay "marriage" message.
- Strickland said of Martin: “There’s a priest that travels around now basically saying that he doesn’t [believe the doctrine of the Church on marriage], and he seems to be very well promoted in various places.”
- “Brothers, I think part of the fraternal correction...we offer each other is to say, 'Can that be presented in our diocese? That same-sex ‘marriage’ is just fine, and the Church will one day grow to understand that.'”
- “That’s not what we teach,” he stated. “And I think we really have to ask those serious questions.”
Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has called Fr. Martin “one of the most outspoken critics of the church’s message with regard to sexuality.”
And, Cardinal Raymond Burke has called Martin’s teaching “not coherent with the Church’s teaching on homosexuality.”
Over the years, Fr. Martin has made numerous remarks that indicate open hostility towards and deep opposition to unchangeable doctrine on matters related to men, women, and sexuality. Bishops need to stop allowing him to spread his un-Christ-like message in their dioceses. Below is an extensive list of things he has said or done. For instance, Fr. Martin...
- Wants active homosexuals to be “invited into parish ministries” like eucharistic ministers.
- Once claimed “some” saints were “probably gay.”
- Told a gay Catholic journalist that he hopes that during the exchange of peace at mass “you will be able to kiss your partner or soon to be your husband. Why not? What’s the terrible thing?”
- Tweeted support for transgender bathrooms, claiming that “It doesn't hurt anybody" which bathroom "they" choose to use.
- Believes God made “LGBTQ people…who they are.”
- Wants the Catechism’s use of the term “intrinsically disordered” scrapped. He believes it is “needlessly hurtful" to homosexuals and thinks “differently ordered” is preferable because it is more “pastoral.”
- Has said a Catholic attending a same-sex “wedding” is just as acceptable as a Catholic attending a Jewish wedding.
- Claims to have discovered a "very high correlation between people who are against [same-sex marriage] and people who are in fact homophobic."
- Received an award from a pro-homosexual group for his “lasting contributions to the safety and/or equality of people who are LGBTQ, their families, and allies.”
- Thinks the Church should recognize the “special gifts” homosexuals bring to the Church because of their sexual attractions.
- Claims the Bible has been taken out of "context” in its condemnation of homosexual acts.
- Urged homosexual priests to “come out” as “LGBT” in order to facilitate “dialogue” with bishops.
- Praised the “fidelity” of a “married” transgender couple and wondered what the Church can “learn” from them.
- Retweeted a liberal journalist who complained priests can’t bless “committed gay couples.”
- Was given the “Bridge Building Award” at the 2016 gathering of the pro-gay New Ways Ministry, a dissident group censure by the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops Conference.
It’s also a place where someone like Father James Martin, S.J. — the chief promoter of the normalization of homosexuality and transgenderism within U.S. Catholicism — can count on receiving a standing ovation from a church packed with adoring fans.
In March, when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement declaring that the Catholic Church cannot bless homosexual relationships, the Holy Trinity “LGBTQIA+ Ministry” published a rebuke.
“Unequivocally, Holy Trinity affirms that LGBTQIA+ individuals have and always will have a valued place in our parish community,” asserted the parish’s homosexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual supporters. “To our LGBTQIA+ friends, we want to stress that Holy Trinity is enriched by your presence, ministry and leadership.”
The most liberal parish in a very liberal archdiocese
Holy Trinity is a bastion of fringe liberal Catholicism in an archdiocese that for the last two decades has been led by ultra-liberal prelates who have exhibited varying degrees of complicit behavior regarding homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion.
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Theodore McCarrick, formerly Cardinal Archbishop of Washington from 2001 to 2006, was stripped of the clerical state for crimes against minors and adults, with no possibility for appeal. McCarrick’s most well-known victim, James Grein, described how McCarrick abused him for years starting when he was 11 years old. Other alleged victims included former seminarians and priests who have detailed the sexual abuse to which McCarrick subjected them.
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Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who led the archdiocese from 2006 to 2018, downplayed his predecessor’s culpability and publicly pretended not to know about the many allegations against McCarrick. A Pennsylvania Grand Jury also found that while Wuerl was bishop of Pittsburgh, he allowed predatory priests to remain in active ministry, shuffling them between dioceses and parishes.
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Washington’s current archbishop, Wilton Gregory — elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Francis last fall — as archbishop of Atlanta displayed an uncritical willingness to accept LGBT ideology in defiance of the Church’s Magisterium. Soon after arriving in D.C., he tacitly affirmed the transgenderism of a “transgender Catholic” at a public event. He condemned President and Mrs. Trump’s visit to the city’s John Paul II National Shrine to pray on the occasion of Pope St. John Paul II’s 100th birthday.