Jesuit priest Father James Martin, a high-profile ally of the recently deceased Pope Francis, is under scrutiny following his response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which affirmed the rights of parents to opt their children out of school lessons involving LGBTQ-themed literature.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court sided with parents challenging a Maryland school district’s policy that required elementary school students to engage with LGBTQ books, including titles like Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, which centers on a same-sex marriage.

Other approved materials in the district included books promoting gender transitions to young children—drawing criticism from parents and faith leaders nationwide.

Rather than supporting parental rights, Father Martin issued a controversial statement implying that such books align with the teachings of Jesus. Initially sharing his perspective on X (formerly Twitter), Martin later deleted the post and expanded on his views in an essay for Outreach Faith, a pro-LGBTQ Catholic platform.

In his essay, Martin wrote:

“The Supreme Court decision on parents opting out of their children reading books with LGBTQ characters is a reminder that objecting to LGBTQ issues often falls under the guise of ‘religious objections.’ Obviously, some material is not suitable for children, especially if it’s sexually explicit, but some of these books simply introduced gay characters.”

He went on to claim that biblical values were being misused:

“Pretty soon, it’s possible that even speaking to, or doing business with, an LGBTQ person (or having them teach your children) could be framed as a threat to one’s ‘religious values.’ It’s important to remember that Christianity should not be used as a fig leaf for homophobia.”

Martin concluded by comparing LGBTQ representation in children’s books to Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan, which emphasized compassion toward outcasts.

“Jesus not only reached out to those on the margins, but… one of his most famous stories… was about someone from a hated ethnic group—the Samaritans were at the time despised by many Jews.”

Critics argue Martin is downplaying legitimate parental concerns about age-inappropriate material and religious freedom, using theological language to lend moral authority to controversial social agendas. The Maryland policy did not include opt-out provisions for families with religious objections, sparking the legal challenge that led to the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Father Martin is no stranger to controversy. He has been publicly praised by Pope Francis for his LGBTQ outreach, including a personal handwritten letter from the pontiff supporting his involvement in a 2022 pro-LGBTQ Catholic conference. Martin’s repeated defense of policies many see as infringing on parental and religious rights has made him a divisive figure within the Catholic Church and beyond.