Father James Martin hopes to build a bridge between LGBTQ Catholics and the Church. He believes that they should take part in the ministries of the Church. 

'Building a Bridge' 

In a report with Sojourners, the Jesuit priest gained notoriety for his support for the LGBTQ community. He shared that he felt compelled to write "Building a Bridge" after the 2016 Pulse massacre in Orlando. 

The tragedy claimed the lives of 49 LGBTQ youth when a lone gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub. The Jesuit priest said that he was surprised to see that only a handful of bishops spoke out against the killings. 

Father Martin said that he felt angry knowing that even in death, those in the LGBTQ community were still invisible to the Church. 

The Jesuit became the subject of a documentary titled "Building a Bridge." The film was directed by Evan Mascagni and Shannon Post. 

Showing Compassion, Respect, Sensitivity 

Like Father Martin's 2017 book of the same name, the film urged Catholics to show "compassion, respect, and sensitivity." 

The film reportedly follows the stories of LGBTQ Catholics and their families. The Jesuit pointed out that "Nothing converts like stories." 

He told the news outlet that every person's story was holy because it showed their journey in finding God. Father Martin added that the movie shed light on each person's faith journey and their struggles with faith. 

The documentary also follows the priest's journey. He could be seen giving his homilies, visiting people's homes, and his trip to the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin. 

The film also showcased his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2019. 

Harshest Critics 

The Catholic priest receives hate messages and death threats for his views. 

One of his harshest critics is Michael Voris, the founder of Church Militant. Voris was interviewed in the film.

The documentary also featured valid criticisms of Father Martin's approach. Xorje Olivares is an LGBTQ ministry team member of Out at St. Paul. 

Olivares pointed out that they did not like that it seemed they were meeting the church halfway. Xorje pointed out that it was the Church that was pushing the LGBTQ community aside.

The priest addressed this concern in the second edition of Building a Bridge. Father Martin explained that the onus for bridge-building must come from the church. 

He stressed that he was not challenging church teaching. The priest added that he was a Jesuit and took a vow of obedience. 

Father Martin explained that his role in this was creating space within the institutional church where LGBTQ people could find their voice. 

He added that he was making a space where they could be advocated for. 

"I'm coloring within the lines," he told the news outlet. "Within those boundaries, there's a lot you can do."

Jason Steidl, one of the Catholic theologians in the film, pointed out that the Jesuit brought the concerns of the LGBTQ community into the church. 

On his Facebook page, the priest recently invited LGBTQ Catholics to take part in the Outreach 2022 LGBTQ Catholic Ministry Conference. 

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