19,000 Catholics Urge Sacred Heart University to Cancel Fr. James Martin's Talk
Contact: John Ritchie, 717-495-5427
FAIRFIELD, Conn., Jan. 25, 2019 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Young Catholics collected nearly 20,000 signatures on a petition urging Sacred Heart University to cancel Fr. James Martin's upcoming talk on campus on Jan. 29. The Jesuit priest's support for transgenderism and homosexuality has prompted backlash from those who embrace Catholic moral values.
"It is difficult to understand why the president of Sacred Heart University, Dr. John J. Petillo, while expressing solidarity for the victims of clergy abuse, would allow a priest who promotes the same sin that is responsible for such scandalous abuse to speak," said John Ritchie, director of TFP Student Action, the group hosting the petition.
To oppose Fr. Martin's errors, concerned Catholics will be holding a peaceful protest rally at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, January 26 at noon. The location of the demonstration will be at the intersection of Old Town Road and Park Avenue in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Addressing the abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, Bishop Robert C. Morlino stated:
"There must be no room left, no refuge for sin -- either within our own lives, or within the lives of our communities.... But to be clear, in the specific situations at hand, we are talking about deviant sexual -- almost exclusively homosexual -- acts by clerics. We're also talking about homosexual propositions and abuses against seminarians and young priests by powerful priests, bishops, and cardinals. We are talking about acts and actions which are not only in violation of the sacred promises made by some, in short, sacrilege, but also are in violation of the natural moral law for all. To call it anything else would be deceitful and would only ignore the problem further."
Ritchie continued: "Fr. Martin's public pro-LGBT activism and open revolt against Catholic moral teaching causes scandal, especially among faithful Catholic students. Sin is something to be ashamed of, not a badge of pride. In good conscience, we cannot remain silent when God's holy law is trampled. So we're asking the university to find a new speaker who respects and loves the perennial doctrine of the Catholic Church."
TFP Student Action (www.tfpstudentaction.org) is a national network of Catholic students and concerned parents committed to defend traditional moral values and restore Christian Civilization.
