It's an image of an elaborate canopy with praying angels draped over a Chair of Peter—in this case, a toilet with the papal insignia.

It's tied to a column that argues, among other things, that the "Catholic church is uncomfortable with two things. Sex and bowel movements."

The humor is childish. It's lightweight snarkiness compared to much of the Reporter's caustic fare for the past few decades.

It pales next to the savage anti-Roman woodcuts of early Lutheran polemics. But the cartoon's message is nonetheless—how to say it?—not one of filial esteem. Or even Christian civility.

I remembered the cartoon, and its source, while reading Massimo Faggioli's recent (Sept. 18) thoughts in La Croix's online international edition.

In "Catholic Cyber-Militias and the New Censorship," Faggioli rightly worries about the river of vitriol now "profoundly changing the communion of the Catholic Church."

He also generously mentions my own public repudiation of the tactics of groups like the Lepanto Institute and Church Militant during our 2015 ramp-up for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia and the visit of Pope Francis.

But Dr. Faggioli's main focus is Fr. James Martin, S.J. And for good reason. Some of the recent attacks on Martin, sparked by his book Building a Bridge, have been inexcusably ugly.

Fr. Martin is a man of intellect and skill whose work I often admire. Like all of us as fellow Christians, he deserves to be treated with fraternal good will.

It's one thing to criticize respectfully an author's ideas and their implications. It's quite another to engage in ad hominem trashing.

In Dr. Faggioli's view, Fr. Martin is yet another victim brought low by a mob of conservative cyber-militias.

And these militias have allegedly been fostered by a generation of John Paul II and Benedict XVI bishops, who reshaped "the U.S. episcopate in the image of the ‘culture warrior.'"

That last line is worth a pause. As someone appointed as a bishop by the late John Paul, I'll offer just two brief thoughts. Continue reading

• Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., is archbishop of Philadelphia

Yet that same teaching also says that gay and lesbian people must be treated with "respect, sensitivity and compassion."

As more states pass laws legalising same-sex marriage, more gay and lesbian Catholics are entering into these unions.

This leaves some Catholics feeling caught between two values: church teaching against same-sex marriage and church teaching in favour of compassion.

In Seattle a few months back, for example, many high school students protested the ouster of the vice principal, who was removed for marrying another man.

Most people who oppose same-sex marriage say they do not hate gay people, only that the traditional understanding of marriage is important and perpetually valid.

Other opponents of same-sex marriage invoke the oft-repeated mantra, "Hate the sin, love the sinner."

If that is so, then why do so many gay people say they feel hatred from members of the church?

Let me suggest a reason beyond the fact that many gays and lesbians disagree with church teaching on homosexual acts: only rarely do opponents of same-sex marriage say something positive about gays and lesbians without appending a warning against sin. Continue reading.

James Martin, SJ, is editor at large of America

Source: America Magazine

Image: Inside Loyola

At Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Aurora, Denver, where nearly 1,500 people gathered to remember parishioner A.J. Boik, who was among the 12 people killed in the Batman massacre, Father Mauricio Bermudez said "We live in a culture that promotes violence." He asked, "What kind of people are we becoming?"

"This is our opportunity to change things, to do something different," said Bermudez.

Father James Martin, says responding to the Aurora Batman massacre by calling on God for help and comfort is not enough: "Simply praying, 'God, never let this happen again' is insufficient for the person who believes that God gave us the intelligence to bring about lasting change," he said.

Martin's opinion piece created an avalanche of comment on Facebook and Twitter. Within hours of posting his opinion he had to shut down comments on his Facebook page and cut off trading tweets on the topic.

Martin says just praying is not enough. He thinks gun control is as much a pro-life issue as is abortion, euthanasia or the death penalty "and programs that provide the poor with the same access to basic human needs as the wealthy."

There is a "consistent ethic of life" that views all these issues as linked, because they are," he says.

Martin believes that pro-life religious people need to consider how it might be made more difficult for people to procure weapons that are not designed for sport or hunting or self-defense. "If one protests against abortion clinics because they facilitate the taking of human life, why not protest against largely unregulated suppliers of firearms because they facilitate the taking of human life as well?"

In Rome on Sunday, Pope Benedict expressed dismay and sadness at the shooting.

"I was deeply shocked by the senseless violence which took place in Aurora, Denver," he said in his regular Sunday Angelus address.

Source

• America Magazine
• Toronto Sun
• USA Today
• USA Today
• TVNZ
• Los Angeles Times
• Image: Los Angeles Times