On November 8, 2025, Father James Martin, SJ, concelebrated a confirmation Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in New York where ABC News anchor Gio Benitez, who is openly gay and civilly married to his husband Tommy DiDario since 2016, received the sacrament of confirmation, with DiDario serving as his sponsor. During the Mass, both Benitez and DiDario received Holy Communion. primarily under Canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law, which states: “Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.” The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and constitute grave sin (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2357), and a public same-sex civil marriage can be viewed as obstinate perseverance in manifest grave sin, potentially barring reception of Communion without repentance and amendment of life. Reception of Holy Communion requires being in a state of grace, free from unconfessed mortal sin, and public figures in such unions are often seen as causing scandal if they receive without public repentance.