Pope’s Letter to Father James Martin on Homosexuality and Sin

Vatican news

“I was simply referring to the teaching of Catholic morality which says that any sexual act outside of marriage is a sin”: this is what the Pope wrote in response to a letter written by American Jesuit Father James Martin, who promotes his apostolate among the people. LGTB, A to clarify the meaning of his words A recent interview with The Associated Press. The Pope’s handwritten response in Spanish was published Father Martin’s website is “Outreach.faith”.

From the context of the interview with the AP, it was clear that the Pope was talking about homosexuality, in this case referring to “homosexual acts,” and not the homosexual condition itself. With this answer, Francisco reiterated his position, already repeated since the first interview with journalists on the flight back from Brazil in 2013 (“Who am I to judge if a person is gay and seeks God and has good intentions?”), which is the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Responding to Father Martin, the Pope emphasized that regarding sin, “we must take into account the circumstances that reduce or eliminate guilt,” because “we know very well that Catholic morality values, in addition to the matter, the freedom, the intention; this is the case for all kinds of sin.

So, in the letter he reiterates what he told Andhra: “I would say that those who want to criminalize homosexuality are wrong.” In that interview, he insisted that “being homosexual is not a crime,” while more than 50 countries have legal punishments for homosexuality, and in some even the death penalty.

The letter ends with the Pope praying for Father Martin’s work and the LGBT community he follows: “Please do it for me.”