James Martin (priest)

The Reverend
James Martin
SJ
Born (1960-12-29) December 29, 1960
Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Residence Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Pennsylvania
Occupation Jesuit priest, author
Religion Christianity (Roman Catholic)
Church Latin Church
Ordained 1999 (priest)

James J. Martin SJ (born December 29, 1960), also known as Jim Martin, is an American Jesuit priest, a writer, and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America.[1] He grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and now lives in the America House Jesuit Community in midtown Manhattan.[2] On April 12, 2017, Pope Francis appointed Martin and EWTN leader Michael Warsaw as consultants to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communications.[3][4]

Education and career

Martin grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States, and attended Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School.[5] He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1982 and worked in corporate finance at General Electric for six years.[6] Dissatisfied with the corporate world, he became more deeply involved in the Catholic Church and decided to enter the Society of Jesus (more commonly known as the Jesuits) in 1988, and was ordained a priest in 1999.[6] In addition to his work at America magazine, Martin has written or edited more than 10 books, many of which are largely about his own experiences. He is a frequent commentator for CNN, NPR, Fox News Channel, Time magazine, The Huffington Post,[7] and other news outlets, and has written several op-ed pieces and blogged for The New York Times.[6]

Theatre

Martin is a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company.[8] His involvement with the 2005 stage production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, written by Stephen Adly Guirgis, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and featuring Sam Rockwell, John Ortiz, Eric Bogosian, and Callie Thorne, is the subject of Martin's book A Jesuit Off-Broadway: Center Stage with Jesus, Judas, and Life's Big Questions (Loyola Press, 2007). Publishers Weekly, which gave the book a starred review, named A Jesuit Off-Broadway one of its Best Books of 2007.[9]

The Colbert Report appearances

On September 13, 2007, Martin appeared on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report to discuss Mother Teresa's fifty-year sense of abandonment by God which had much coverage in the media at the time. Martin appeared several more times on The Colbert Report, once to discuss Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the U.S. in April, 2008,[10] and again on February 23, 2009, to discuss how poverty (or, at least, reducing the importance one places on material goods) can bring one closer to God.[11]

On March 18, 2010, Martin was invited to the program in the wake of Glenn Beck's suggesting that Catholics run away from priests who preach "social justice".[12] Martin noted that "social justice addresses the things that keep people poor" and "asks you why are these people poor." He added that "Christ asked us to work with the poor. ... In the Gospel of Matthew He says that the way that we're going to be judged at the end of our lives is not what church we prayed in or how we prayed but really ... how we treated the poor." On August 10, 2011, Martin appeared on The Colbert Report to discuss God's "approval rating" and to promote his book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life.[13] On November 9, 2011, he appeared once again to promote his book concerning humor and religion, Between Heaven and Mirth. On February 11, 2013, he went on the show to discuss the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. On September 24, 2013, he was on the show, talking about an interview where Pope Francis said that love, compassion, and mercy are more important than the rules (within a subtext of Pope Francis washing the feet of criminals, wanting a more prominent role for women, saying atheists can be redeemed, not judging gays and lesbians, and that we cannot serve money and God at the same time),[14][15][16] and introducing Metallica.[17] On January 7, 2014, he appeared to discuss income inequality and the Pope's emphasis on economic justice and on the importance of caring for the poor.[18]

Critique of anti-Catholicism in the media

Martin has written about anti-Catholicism in the entertainment industry. He argues that, despite an irresistible fascination with the Catholic Church, the entertainment industry also holds what he considers obvious contempt for the Catholic Church. He suggests: "It is as if producers, directors, playwrights and filmmakers feel obliged to establish their intellectual bona fides by trumpeting their differences with the institution that holds them in such thrall."[19]

Awards

Martin's best-known book, My Life with the Saints (2006), was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the "Best Books of the Year"[9] and was the winner of a 2007 Christopher Award.[20]

In May 2007, he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Wagner College on Staten Island, New York.[21]

In May 2012, Martin served as commencement speaker at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia,[22] Saint Louis University in St. Louis, and Immaculata University in Immaculata, Pennsylvania. He received an honorary degree from each school as well.[23]

In May 2014, Martin served as commencement speaker at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and received an honorary degree.

Publications

Martin's books include:

Martin has also edited the following books:

His essays include :

References

  1. ↑ "America Magazine".
  2. ↑ "James Martin - Finding God in All Things". On Being with Krista Tippett. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Pope taps James Martin and EWTN chief as communications consultants". Crux. 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  4. ↑ "Father James Martin appointed by Pope Francis to Vatican department for communications". America Magazine. 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  5. ↑ "Mywire.com". www.mywire.com.
  6. 1 2 3 http://www.americamagazine.org/content/staff.cfm?id=8
  7. ↑ Rev. James Martin, S.J The Huffington Post.
  8. ↑ "LAByrinth Theater Company website".
  9. 1 2 "/404". www.publishersweekly.com.
  10. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  11. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  12. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  13. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  14. ↑ Spadaro, S.J., Antonio. "A Big Heart Open to God". America magazine. American Jesuits. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  15. ↑ Roewe, Brian. "Colbert puts Pope Francis 'on notice'". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  16. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  17. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central.
  18. ↑ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  19. ↑ "The Last Acceptable Prejudice".
  20. ↑ "The Christophers, Inc.". www.christophers.org.
  21. ↑ "Sorry! Page not found - Wagner College".
  22. ↑ "St. Joseph's University Website".
  23. ↑ "Four Jesuits Receive Honorary Degrees".
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