Paul Lantom

"Another man's evil does not make you good."

- Father Lantom to Matt Murdock

Father Lantom is a priest in a church in New York City who offers moral guidance to those who come to him, including Matt Murdock.

Charity Work Overseas
As a young preacher, Lantom perceived himself to be more skeptical than many others in his faith, and would often debate his peers. He contended that the devil was inconsequential, as he translated the Hebrew word for Satan as "adversary", of which everyone had their own, rather than a single bringer of evil.

Years later however, while overseas in Rwanda trying to help local churches provide food and care for the people, he became friends with a village elder named Gahiji. Lantom witnessed local gangs murdering their neighbours, but none would raise their swords to Gahiji. When soldiers were sent to execute him, none of them wanted to kill him. The commander arranged to met Gahiji, only to brutally murder him and his entire family in front of his village. When Lantom witnessed this, he knew he had seen the devil in that man's eyes.

Speaking with Matthew Murdock
"Perhaps this would be easier if you told me what you've done." "I'm not seeking penance for what I've done, Father. I'm asking forgiveness, for what I'm about to do." "That's not how this works. What exactly are you going to do?"

- Father Lantom speaks to Matt Murdock

While listening to confessions in his church, Lantom was visited by a blind Catholic named Matt Murdock. Murdock spoke to him about his past and his father, who was a boxer who was known for not ever backing down from a fight. Seeing that Murdock was not telling him what he had done that needed to be confessed, Murdock however told him that he was not seeking forgiveness for what he had done, but instead was asking forgiveness for what he was about to do. A few days later, Lantom found Murdock sitting outside his church with bruises on his face. Lantom sat with Murdock and told him that he knew he was Jack Murdock's son. He assured him that through the seal of the confession booth he was sworn never to tell anyone what Murdock had spoken to him about. When Murdock told him that he had to get to work, Lantom told him about the new coffee maker that had been donated to the church and offered to make him a Latte so they could have a chance to talk; Murdock however turned down the offer.

Early Morning Latte
"Do you believe in the devil father?" "You mean as a concept?" "No, do you believe he exists, in this world, among us?"

- Matt Murdock and Lantom

As Lantom arrived at his church, he found Matt Murdock once again sitting outside waiting; this time however Murdock accepted his offer for a latte. When inside, Murdock asked Lantom if he believed in the devil, not just as a concept, but as a figure among them. Lantom chose to tell Murdock the tale of the murder of Gahiji and how he had seen the devil in the eyes of the man who had killed him. Murdock asked him what he would have done if he could have stopped him hurting anyone, but refused to explain what exactly he meant. While sitting in the church and looking at a statue of Jesus Christ, Lantom was visited by Matt Murdock who was once again seeking moral guidance. Lantom spoke about his relationship with before asking Murdock if he had done anything foolish after their talk. Murdock told him that he had been to visit someone close to the devil and had learned that he had someone he loved and who loved him. Lantom tried to convince Murdock to leave the judgement and punishment to God as he believed murder was not in his heart. They were interrupted when Foggy Nelson called Murdock, but he ignored the call. Murdock argued that although his soul was damned if he killed the man, he could not stand back and watch as the devil destroyed his city. Lantom suggested that Murdock's struggle was not that he needed to kill the devil, but that he wanted to and did not have to.

The Devil Within Murdock
"And how do you know that the devil and the angels inside me aren't the same thing?" "I don't, but nothing drives people to the church faster than the thought of the devil snapping at their heels."

- Matt Murdock and Lantom

Lantom found Matt Murdock waiting for him in his church, this time with noticeable injuries. Lantom offered Murdock confession or Latte, but he refused both. Murdock revealed that he did not kill the man they had discussed earlier although he make an attempt; he said a friend of his had told him if he continued the work he was doing he would end up bloody and alone. Lantom revealed that he knew that Murdock was indeed the man in the mask who was attacking criminals at night, though he did not know how he did it. Murdock asked why God had put the devil within him and they discussed what the devil actually represented.

Ben Urich's Funeral
"How are you holding up?" "Like a good Catholic boy." "That bad huh?"

- Lantom and Matt Murdock

Ben Urich was discovered dead in his home having been murdered; Lantom held a funeral service for him which was attended by Matt Murdock. After the service Lantom approached Murdock and asked how he was holding up after the death of his friend; Murdock made it clear that he felt responsible for Urich's death as he had failed to stop Wilson Fisk.

Grotto's Funeral
Elliot Grote, who occasionally attended Mass at Father Lantom's church, was killed by the Punisher. Lantom provided over his service, which was attended only by Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page. In his eulogy, Lantom described Grotto as a man who was looking for redemption, but kept making the wrong choices.

After Nelson and Page left the church to return to the office, Murdock stayed behind. He told Lantom of the guilt he felt over not being able to save Grotto's life. Lantom counseled him that guilt could be a good thing, a soul's call to action. He suggested to Murdock that the guilt he felt meant that his work was not yet finished.

Allies

 * Gahiji †
 * Matt Murdock - Parishioner
 * Doris Urich
 * Karen Page
 * Foggy Nelson
 * Grotto †

Appearances
In chronological order:
 * Daredevil
 * Season One
 * Into the Ring
 * Rabbit in a Snowstorm
 * Speak of the Devil
 * The Path of the Righteous
 * Daredevil
 * Season Two
 * Penny and Dime
 * ''The Defenders
 * Season One

Behind the Scenes

 * Series writer Ruth Fletcher Gage called Lantom "almost Matt's therapist. He was used in a lot of different ways. We wanted him to be someone who would actually discuss the things Matt brought to him."
 * Writer Christos Gage added, "Father Lantom really was supposed to be a catalyst to force Matt to question his own view on things and his own feelings about what he was going to do."

Trivia

 * In the comics, Father Lantom is assigned to the, and once refuged The Runaways inside the Cathedral.