A recent public event involving Jesuit priest James Martin shocked many Catholics.

The modernist Jesuit, along with two other clerics, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to an openly gay man who was civilly “married” to another man. The event was photographed, filmed, and widely shared online.

Supporters of LGBT ideology applauded the ceremony as a symbol of “inclusion,” treating what should be a solemn sacrament as a public performance. The atmosphere made the event appear more like a social demonstration than a sacred moment of strengthening a soul with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The timing, publicity, and messaging strongly suggest that the event was pre-planned to provoke controversy and pressure the Church to change her moral teachings. The authentic meaning of Confirmation—strengthening the baptized to reject sin and defend the faith—was overshadowed by an ideological agenda.

The event is being perceived by faithful Catholics as a blasphemous and deceptive violation of the sanctity of the church, coupled with the public platform given to a lifestyle and advocacy that stands in opposition to Catholic moral teaching.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that Confirmation:

The sacrament requires proper disposition, including repentance, conversion, and a sincere desire to live according to the Gospel.

The Church is clear:

A sacrament is valid if:

A sacrament is illicit if:

Most agree that the Confirmation was gravely illicit, because:

Validity is more complicated.

If the correct words and chrism were used, the sacrament may have been valid. However, defective intention can threaten validity:

Thus, the Confirmation was clearly illicit and possibly valid but gravely abused.

Canon Law issues serious warnings against clerics who cause scandal, administer sacraments illicitly, or act in deliberate disobedience to legitimate authority.

Consequently, clerics found guilty of such offenses may face a range of penalties, which can include suspension from their duties, removal from ministry, or the loss of faculties to perform certain acts.

In the most extreme and grave cases, such as certain forms of schism or apostasy, the penalty may even be excommunication.

Receiving the strengthening gifts of the Holy Spirit while rejecting God’s commandments is not only improper—it causes scandal and endangers many souls.

Scandals of this nature cause significant spiritual damage, as they can shake the faith of many believers and profoundly confuse the young who are seeking moral clarity.

When grave irreverence or doctrinal ambiguity occurs in the Church, silence from the faithful or leadership effectively gives the appearance of approval, allowing error to flourish and intensifying the confusion.

Therefore, faithful Catholics are called to action: they should condemn the scandal publicly while maintaining charity and simultaneously pray and fast for the Church and offer sacrifices for priests who are struggling or causing division.

Crucially, they must form their families in authentic Catholic teaching and hold firmly to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, ensuring that their own homes and hearts remain steadfast beacons of Truth and Tradition, recognizing that while they cannot always prevent scandals, they must counter their damaging effects.

The post Why Catholics Condemn Scandalous Confirmation in New York first appeared on EPISTLES.