Catholic Church facing biggest mass walkout since child sex abuse scandal, priest claims

A leading Jesuit priest has said he hasn’t seen so many people ready to leave the Catholic Church since the child-sexual abuse scandal hit.

James Martin, a priest who advocates for LGBT+ inclusion within the Catholic Church, made his comments after the Vatican released an explanatory note insisting that clergy must not bless same-sex unions because God “cannot bless sin”.

“Not since the anger over sex abuse in 2002 and 2018 have I seen so many people so demoralised, and ready to leave the church, as I have this week,” Martin wrote.

He added: “And not simply LGBT+ people, but their families and friends, a large part of the church.”

There was widespread disappointment among LGBT+ Catholics when the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith released a statement banning blessings for same-sex couples on Monday (15 March).

The note, signed by Jesuit Luis Ladaria Ferrer and archbishop Giacomo Morandi, argued that same-sex unions are “not ordered to the Creator’s plan”.

While the Vatican insisted that God loves all of his children regardless of the sins they commit, they also said God “does not and cannot bless sin”, falling back on its traditional view that same-gender relationships must not be accepted by the church.

Source: PinkNews