Malachi Martin

The Reverend Dr. Father Malachi Brendan Martin (July 23, 1921 – July 27, 1999) was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest who became a popular author and speaker upon various fringe topics such as exorcisms, Satanism, Liberation Theology, the Tridentine liturgy, obscure points of Catholic dogma and the geopolitical importance of The Pope, and those who allegedly wished to topple him. Martin was born in County Kerry, Ireland and studied at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. He was ordained on August 15, 1954. He was the private secretary of Cardinal Bea in Rome and lived and worked at the Vatican for many years. In 1965, Fr. Martin received a dispensation from all privileges and vows deriving from his service as a Jesuit and from priestly ordination. Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Roman Catholic priest LCDR Allen R. Kuss (USN) aboard USS Enterprise A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ... Exorcism is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities which are supposed to have possessed (taken control of) a person or object. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Liberation theology is an important and controversial school in the theology of the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council. ... The adjective Tridentine means pertaining to the city of Trent, which in Latin is called Tridentum. ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In his book Hostage to the Devil, he claimed to have assisted in several exorcisms while a priest. He was interviewed several times on the Art Bell radio program Coast to Coast AM and was a brother of the Irish historian FX Martin. Arthur Art Bell, III (born June 17, 1945) is the founder and longtime host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. Though his work is much less frequent than in the past, he remains an occasional host. ... Coast to Coast AM is a late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but usually ones that relate to the paranormal. ...

A book by Time Magazine´s Robert Blair Kaiser ("Clerical Error: A True Story", Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002) cast doubt upon much of what Martin wrote about himself and others. Supporters counter that his writings concerning exorcism are in line with similar writings by Father Gabriele Amorth, the current Roman Catholic exorcist of Rome. (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... Robert Blair Kaiser (born 1930) is an American author and journalist, best known for his writing on the Catholic Church. ... Fr. ...

Martin's writings frequently present a dark, and often paranoid, view of the world, invoking at every turn, dark spirits and sodomites, demonic posession and cannabilism, lesbians and blasphemy, heresy and pedophilia, betrayal and conspiracy, satanism and human sacrifice, each being asserted as rife throughout the Catholic church, from its lowest levels to its highest. Despite this prevailing paranoia, his exposition can be forceful, with the appearance of considerable intelligence and authority, though, given its subject material, understandably devoid of wit.

The authenticity of Malachi Martin's writings and viewpoints was seriously called into question by the 2002 book Clerical Error by former Vatican Time Magazine correspondent Kaiser. In his autobiographical book (as above) Kaiser accuses Martin of carrying on an extramarital affair with his wife and for being a notorious womanizer during his time in Rome, as well as a liar and fantasist.

One element of the controversy surrounding Martin is discussed here: "High Ranking Jesuit Confirms Malachi Martin’s Status as Life Long Priest" by William H. Kennedy - April 2004 (publication details uncertain) -

"In a stunning reversal of past policy Father Vincent O’Keefe SJ, former Vicar General of the Society of Jesus and a past President of Fordham University, affirmed that Malachi Martin was in fact granted a dispensation from all his vows in the Jesuit order except for chastity. This dispels decades of rumors that Father Martin was defrocked for having had an affair with the wife of a famous journalist. This was the false lie spread by past Jesuits to discredit Father Martin. Martin requested and received a special dispensation by Pope Paul VI to remain a Catholic priest and say Mass in private.

Ever since Father Martin’s scathing review of his former order The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church (1988) rumors were spread by members of this order claiming Martin was defrocked and expelled from the Church of Rome. Martin denied this charge until his death in 1999. Father Mitchell Pacwa – chief spokesman at the Catholic run EWTN would regularly hang up on callers who inquired about Martin on his live call in show.

Father O’Keefe was the Vicar General of the Society in 1965, at the time of Father Malachi Martin’s departure from Rome. Why Father O’Keefe decided to set the record straight on Malachi Martin is anyone’s guess."

This appeared on the Malachi Martin yahoo e-group, posted by a member who communicated with Fr. Tom Widner SJ, Secretary for Communication of the US Jesuit Conference, concerning Martin’s status. Father Widner questioned Father O’Keefe – now retired – and he recalled Martin’s receiving a special dispensation relieving him of all his vows except for chastity. The communication also promoted two other views about Martin including that Martin lived in an unchaste relationship. The message referred to a disputed obituary of Martin which appeared in the New York Times. The lady in question, it is said by some, was merely Martin’s landlady for whom he also acted as spiritual advisor. The communication also reports that Martin requested release from his vow of chastity, another disputed statement.

However, the Jesuits have apparently confirmed that Martin was a valid priest his whole life (which according to Catholic law does not prove he behaved well or honestly). This, say some, marks a radical change in Jesuit policy concerning Father Malachi Martin – in that they acknowledge his status as a life long priest.

Source:

"I spoke with Fr. Vincent O'Keefe, former vicar general of the Society of Jesus who is now retired. According to Fr. O'Keefe, Malachi Martin was indeed dispensed from his vows of poverty and obedience but not the vow of chastity. At the time Martin requested such dispensation, the Vatican was not dispensing priests who so requested such dispensation from the vow of chastity or celibacy. Fr. O'Keefe pointed out that Martin never married. His obituary in the New York Times, however, points out that Martin lived with a female companion."

Fr. Widner

Tom Widner SJ Secretary for Communications U.S. Jesuit Conference 1616 P St. N.W., Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20036-1420 202-462-0400 Fax: 202-328-9212

Books

• Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans, 1992 (ISBN: 006065337X)
• Windswept House: A Vatican Novel, 1998 (ISBN: 0385492316)
• The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church, 1987 (ISBN: 0671545051)
• The Keys of This Blood 1991 (ISBN: 0671747231)

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External links

• Malachi Martin
• Coast to Coast AM's Guest Page on Father Martin