Is called “Lazarus, come out!” from the original in English “Like Forth” and it is the title of the latest book recently published in Italian by one of the most discussed religious figures of the contemporary Church, the American Jesuit Father James Martin. Already the author of “A bridge to build – A new relationship between the Church and LGBT people”, the writer is known throughout the world for his pro-lgbt+ pastoral work. A label that shouldn't bother him given that also to launch the release in Italian (for the Libreria Editrice Vaticana) it has once again claimed its most discussed positions.
Coming out
The book analyzes the passage from the Gospel of John which gives an account of the miracle of resurrection of Lazarus in Bethany made by Jesus. The title is not accidental and it was Martin himself who explained it in an interview with Annachiara Sacchi on “Reading”supplement of “Corriere della Sera”. The Jesuit, in fact, said that that “come outside” originally it should have been written in English “come out!” but which in the end he himself preferred “come forth!” to avoid controversy. “I was concerned that the reference to the Coming Out was considered a nod to that work (his previous book, ed.), giving occasion for sarcastic comments or distracting from the new book, which does not concern LGBTQ people, but everyone”, this is the Jesuit's motivation. However, to promote the book and not denying the fame that now accompanies it, Martin still wanted to make a statement about it LGBT issue destined to spark discussion. With Annachiara Sacchi, the American writer has claimed the rainbow cause for which he is at the forefront in the Church: “I often tell Catholics that, whether they know it or not, gay priests said Mass for them, heard their confessions, baptized their children, celebrated their weddings, visited them in hospital, buried their parents. The Church would be immeasurably poorer without them.”
Lazarus and homosexuality
Despite the attempt to differentiate this latest book from the now famous “A post to build” saying he chose a less explicit title because “It's not about the lgbtq peoplebut all”, previously it was the same author who associated the Gospel episode with the declaration of his own sexual orientation. A year ago, speaking at a conference of Rainbow Catholics at Fordham University, Martin cited the resurrection of Lazarus as an example of an episode of the Gospel that can be useful to LGBT Catholics. The “come outside” of Jesus to Lazarus, according to Martin, can be associated with the “coming out” of homosexual people. “It meant something different, but not really. Come out, come into the light“, the Jesuit said on that occasion, also announcing his intention to write the book which was actually published.
The broken dam
Father Martin's positions do not please many who are convinced that there is an attempt in the Church to change the traditional teaching on homosexuality. Last week, precisely to denounce the existence of this alleged drift, the essay by José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo was released “The Broken Dam – Fiducia Supplicans surrenders to the LGBT lobby”. The pamphlet was published exclusively by the blog “Mass in Latin” and contains a hard j'accuse to the Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernándezprefect of the Dicastery for the doctrine of the faith, for the declaration Confidence supplicans which opened the doors to the pastoral blessings of gay unions. The essay, translated into Italian by Tradizione Famiglia e Property, was sent to all the cardinals and features a preface by Monsignor Rob Mutsaerts, Dutch auxiliary bishop of 's-Hertogenbosch. In a critical article by Luigi Casalini of Messa in Latino which accompanied the publication of the essay, it is mentioned precisely Father James Martin. The text of the well-known traditionalist-oriented blog claims that “if the so-called 'pastoral blessing' of Tucho Fernández has caused such a stir in Africa and elsewhere, it is not easy to imagine what convulsion will shake the Catholic Church if it were to approve, as many Protestant denominations have already done, one pseudo homosexual marriage”.
The same would happen, according to the Latin Mass, if “there will be a modification of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to say that homosexual orientation is not disordered, but “differently ordered”, as Father James Martin hopes YES”