Seminary Cancels Talk by Priest Who Urges Compassion for LGBT People

(NEW YORK) — Citing a social media backlash, the seminary at the Catholic University of America has canceled a talk by a popular Jesuit priest whose latest book advocates for more compassion for gays within the church. In a rare public rebuke, the university’s president said Saturday that he opposed the seminary’s decision. The Rev. James Martin, editor at large at the Jesuit magazine America and author of several books on Catholicism, said he had planned a seminary talk on Jesus, not his recent book on LGBT people, “Building a Bridge,” which has been backed by two U.S. cardinals and three bishops. Harper Collins Publishers Far-right Catholic sites such ChurchMilitant.com and some conservative Catholic writers have denounced the book, and that had led to online campaigns to pressure Catholic institutions against hosting Martin. The seminary in the nation’s capital, called the Theological College, said it had experienced “increasing negative feedback from various social media sites” about Martin’s talk and, as a result, decided to cancel the event. Martin said he was notified late Thursday of the decision. The Catholic University president, John Garvey, said in a statement that the university administration did not support the cancellation, and noted that that Martin has spoken before at the school, which was founded by the U.S. bishops and is under their supervision. “The campaigns by various groups to paint Fr. Ma...
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