American Jesuit priest James Martin has faced criticism from far-right Catholics after explaining why the Virgin Mary is ‘for everyone’, including LGBTQ+ people, in response to the arrest of three LGBTQ+ activists in Poland. Elzbieta Podlesna, Anna Prus and Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar recently went on trial after joining a peaceful protest in 2019 where attendees criticised the Catholic Church’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people.
During the protests, the three displayed images of the Virgin Mary with a rainbow halo, and were subsequently arrested for ‘offending religious sentiment’.Martin, who is known for his pro-LGBTQ+ stance, defended the activists on Twitter, and said the Virgin Mary is important to marginalised communities: “In Poland, where.