#frederic martel

I'm currently reading In the Closet of the Vatican by Frédéric Martel; a very interesting book about the Church from John XXIII to Francis, and in particular about how it intersects with being gay.

I'm finding it a great read; i'm learning things about church history and values, there's some gossip ^_^, and it has a lot of nuance and compassion for some of the priests mentioned... the schizophrenia and immense loneliness being a gay priest can cause, as well.

It also talks about why some ChoicesTM were made, and why some things (abuse in particular) were swept under the carpet.

I'm finding it rather well-written but I'm reading it in the original French so I don't know how the translation fares.

I was wondering if you'd read it, and if you had any thoughts about it!

Hi Anon! Thank you for your ask!

I'm familiar with the book in its English translation. If I were to give it marks out of ten, it would get high marks from me for its intention, i. e. for speaking uncomfortable truths that urgently need to be spoken, but low marks on the actual execution.

I found the book pedestrian in style, far too long (its main findings could be summarised on a single page) and also not always up to scratch with the ethics of investigative journalism. It sometimes mixes confirmed facts with unproven speculation, and I'm also not sure if every person mentioned unfavourably in it has been given the opportunity to present their own side of the story. I also don't feel comfortable with non-consensual outing. As a member of the public, I want to know about churchmen involved in sexual abuse, churchmen committing crimes or being bullies… but I couldn't care less about the isolated fact of their sexual orientation when nothing illegal or reprehensible has followed from it.

The author's compassion for gay priests and for the awful hypocrisy if they stay in the church and for the terrible loss of purpose if they leave really touched me, though, too. The story at the very end about his own favourite priest from his youth broke my heart.

Now I read an article on ecumenism by Walter Kasper and I liked it and I affirm the views of Frederic Martel.

#PrideMonth: Catholic Church Comes Out Against Gender Science

The month of June is largely referred to as Pride Month all over the world. It is the time of the year that those who identify with the usually isolated and dissociated Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community celebrates, discuss, and fight for awareness and acceptance.

So the Vatican find it fitting to publish its first-ever paper on the subject of gender science.

Titled, “

Sodoma. Il volto nascosto della Chiesa: la doppia vita omosessuale, l’omofobia più radicale

La misoginia del clero, la fine delle vocazioni sacerdotali, la cultura del silenzio in caso di abuso sessuale, le dimissioni di papa Benedetto XVI, la guerra contro papa Francesco: lo stesso segreto collega tutte queste zone d’ombra della Chiesa. Questo segreto è stato a lungo indicibile, ma oggi finalmente ha un nome: Sodoma. La città biblica di Sodoma sarebbe stata distrutta da Dio a causa…