Without Exception Newsletter

Please pray for our families and friends at

Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, MN.

This section is an open forum for members to share reflections or responses connected to our mission.

🚩Please respect the privacy of the authors. These reflections are intended only for the private forum of our network. Public sharing or reprinting is not permitted without permission.

August was unexpectedly busy. Here are some important updates:

• My Project in Ministry is complete and I have two chapters written in my dissertation on "A Pastoral Framework to Decrease Risks and Increase Support for Sexual and Gender Minority Students in Catholic High Schools." I am immensely grateful for the 70+ persons who accompanied me through the project. I pray a lot of good will come from this in the years ahead.

• If you are involved in a school or parish LGBTQ+ ministry and you would like to receive an advanced print copy of the Family Acceptance Project booklet to support Catholic families with LGBTQ+ children, then please send me a message with your mailing address. The deadline for this request is Friday, September 5. Your booklet will arrive with instructions for you and others in your ministry to complete an online feedback survey. This data is essential for planning an academic journal article that will accompany the public release of the booklet. Because all of this work is self-funded, this offer is only for members in the United States right now. A digital version of the booklet (and a Spanish version) will be shared more widely when it is available.

• With the increasingly hostile social media and political climate around us, there are many LGBTQ+ persons, families, and allies who need support. If you know someone who would benefit from our network, then please invite them to join the mailing list. While we are connected through the shared ministry of Catholic secondary education, there is such a variety of experience in our group: administrators, directors, board members, teachers, learning specialists, coaches, chaplains, clergy, religious, campus ministers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, school and diocesan staff members, parishioners, engaged parents and caregivers, mentors, and volunteers. We are becoming a collaborative multidisciplinary support system that reaches across the globe. Please help spread the word!

• On October 7 the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in Chiles v Salazar. This case challenges the ban on conversion therapy in the State of Colorado. You can read the backgrounder here, but you may also find it interesting to read this amicus brief filed on behalf of five Catholic educators.

Image licensed from Naked Pastor.

• I received my first request ever from a student to join Without Exception. This gave me pause because it's something I never considered. After talking it through with a trusted mentor, here is what I decided. To remain consistent with Catholic safe environment standards, membership and our mailing list will be reserved for adults. I deeply admire the leadership and courage of students who participate in school-based ministries, and I want to support them well. However, their connection to Without Exception should be through a supportive parent or trusted adult advisor as the primary contact. This ensures that our resources are shared in ways that are ethical, accountable, and transparent.

Click on the image to see this print from Future of Faith.

"I have a high school senior who is struggling to accept himself in light of his sexuality, and he is just starting to confide in a few peers and adults on campus. Last week he stayed after class to tell me he'd spotted a Without Exception sticker in his English teacher's classroom. That silent but clear affirmation made his day."

For LGBTQ+ young persons an affirming symbol can be a lifeline. It communicates "you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4). The gesture is small, but it increases a young person's sense of value and supports their physical, mental, and spiritual health.

In many places rainbow colors are controversial and beyond the threshold for community leaders. That is why the Without Exception logo is designed to be an integrated Catholic symbol. The circle represents the universal (catholic) call to be witnesses of the gospel in all places, “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8); in all times, as symbolized by the colors of the liturgical year; and to all people, as we “look upon our neighbor (without any exception) as another self” (CCC 1931). The heart at the center of the logo is an interpretation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the colors of the liturgical year symbolize glory and celebration (gold); Mary and water (blue); blood and fire (red); penance and preparation (purple); life and growth (green); and joy and hope (rose).

These items are available at cost plus $6.00 for shipping. Payment can be made by Venmo.

Beyond our network, there are other organizations that offer signals of support for the mental health and well-being of young persons. Some examples are included below:

• Earl D’Souza, a senior at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, is currently searching for participants in a study that seeks to examine the experiences of LGBTQ+ educators teaching at Catholic schools in the United States. Interviews will be conducted one-on-one via Zoom. More information about the study is located here. If you are interested in learning more or participating, or have further questions, please reach out to Earl at earl.dsouza@snc.edu, or to his research supervisor, Dr. Laura Krull, at laura.krull@snc.edu.

• The Friends and Family, Open Hearts and Social Justice Ministries of St. Patrick and St. Anthony Church in Hartford, CT is hosting an an evening with Carl Siciliano, the author of Making Room, which details his three decades of work founding and nurturing the Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest housing program for LGBT youth experiencing homelessness. This event will take place on Thursday, September 25 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry (285 Church Street, Hartford, CT). Free parking is available in the Saints Parking Lot across the street from the Franciscan Center. For more information, you can email timothy.curran@trincoll.edu or call 860-756-4034.

• Outreach will partner with Saint Mary of the Lake and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Chicago to host a regional gathering of LGBTQ Catholics, their families and those who minister to them on Friday evening, Oct. 24, 2025. The event will include a prayer service inside the church and a social gathering to promote networking and to share in a dialogue about attributes that make parishes welcoming to LGBTQ people. The event is part of Outreach’s goal of hosting events online and in various locations throughout the United States. The Chicago event will kick off a number of gatherings and consultations ahead of Outreach 2026, which will take place at Georgetown University next June, focused on the theme, “Walking Side by Side: Celebrating Five Years of Outreach.” To register for the Chicago event, complete this form, and for more information, email Jack Consolie at jconsolie@americamedia.org.

Alper, Becka and Asta Kallo. Religion and spirituality among LGBT Americans. Pew Research Center, August 22, 2025.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Conversion Therapy. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2018.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Suicide Prevention Resource Center. After a suicide: A toolkit for schools (Second Edition). Education Development Center, 2018.

Bouchard, Charles and Peter Smith. Transgender Health at the Intersection of Theology, Science, and Politics. FiRST Principles, Vol. 56, No. 1. Institute for Theological Encounter with Science and Technology (www.faithscience.org), February 2025.

Boyle, Michael and Janette Boazman. Unique and Unrepeatable: Serving All of God’s Children. National Catholic Educational Association, 2024.

Buechel, Andy. Why Remain Catholic? Fortunate Families, December 2017.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023. US Department of Health and Human Services, 2024.

Committee on Education. Human Sexuality: A Catholic Perspective for Education and Lifelong Learning. United States Catholic Conference, 1990.

Copeland, William, Gordon Keeler, Adrian Angold, and E. Jane Costello. “Traumatic Events and Posttraumatic Stress in Childhood.” Archives of General Psychiatry, Vol 64, No. 5, 2007.

Cornell University. What does the scholarly research say about whether conversion therapy can alter sexual orientation without causing harm? What We Know, Public Policy Research Portal, Cornell University.

Cottrell, Robert. The Rise of Polite Homophobia. FreedHearts, August 4, 2025.

Doherty, Jaclyn and Adam Koskovich. LGBTQ+ Youth are Less Likely to Identify as Religious Than Their Peers. Springtide Research Institute, February 19, 2025.

Douthat, Ross. Your Rivals Aren’t Responsible for Mass Shootings. New York Times, August 30, 2025.

Eisenberg, Marla E. and Michael D. Resnick. “Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual youth: the role of protective factors.” Journal of Adolescent Health, Vol. 39, No. 5, July 2006.

Faggella-Luby, Michael and Christie Bonfiglio. “A Framework for All: Building Capacity for Service Delivery in Catholic Schools.” Journal of Catholic Education, 23 (2), 2020.

Forsythe A, Pick C, Tremblay G, Malaviya S, Green A, Sandman K. Humanistic and Economic Burden of Conversion Therapy Among LGBTQ Youths in the United States. JAMA Pediatrics, Vol. 176, No. 5, 2022.

Friedman, Mark, Nawi Ukabiala, and Justin R. Rassi, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Brief of Amici Curiae David Palmieri, Karen Napolitano, Patrick Tiernan, Stewart Heatwole, and Timothy Uhl in Support of Respondents. Chiles v. Salazar, No. 24-539, U.S. Supreme Court, August 26, 2025.

Gerika Mudra, Gerika. I filed a discrimination charge for what happened to me in a Buffalo Wild Wings bathroom. MSNBC, August 15, 2025.

Glassgold, Judith and Caitlin Ryan. “The Role of Families in Efforts to Change, Support, and Affirm Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression in Children and Youth.” In The Case against Conversion “Therapy”: Evidence, Ethics, and Alternatives, 89–107. American Psychological Association, 2022.

Goodenow, Carol, Laura Szalacha, and Kim Westheimer. “School Support Groups, Other School Factors, and the Safety of Sexual Minority Adolescents.” Psychology in the Schools 43, no. 5, May 2006.

Green, Amy, Myeshia Price-Feeney, Samuel Dorison, and Casey Pick. Self-Reported Conversion Efforts and Suicidality Among US LGBTQ Youths and Young Adults, 2018. American Journal of Public Health, 2020.

Haidt, Jonathan. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Penguin Press, 2024.

Haldeman, Douglas. The case against conversion “therapy”: Evidence, ethics, and alternatives. American Psychological Association, 2022.

Haney, Theresa. Coming out to my religious parents was terrifying. I never expected a miracle. Advocate, June 29, 2025.

Hansman, Sarah. Catholic? Queer? Queer Catholic? Why labels matter. Outreach, August 13, 2025.

Harmon, Amy. Conservatives Use Minneapolis Shooting in Anti-Transgender Campaigns. New York Times, August 29, 2025.

Herman, Jody and Andrew Flores. How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States? Williams Institute, August 2025.

Lippert, Jordan and Maria Smerkovich. Many in middle-income countries are uncomfortable with hypothetically having a child who comes out as gay. Pew Research Center, August 2025.

MacCulloch, Diarmaid. Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity. Viking, 2025.

MacKinnon, Kinnon. The Truth About Detransitioning. New York Times, August 10, 2025.

Mallory, Christy, Taylor Brown, and Kerith Conron. Conversion Therapy and LGBT Youth. Williams Institute, June 2019.

Meckler, Laura, Hannah Natanson, and John D. Harden. In States With Laws Targeting LGBTQ Issues, School Hate Crimes Quadrupled. Washington Post, March 13, 2024.

Murthy, Vivek. Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. United States Public Health Service, 2021.

Norvell, G. Travis. The kids at Annunciation School in Minneapolis deserved better from us. MSNBC, August 27, 2025.

Palmieri, David. Catholic Educator Responds to Minneapolis’ Violence and Anti-Trans Reactions. New Ways Ministry, Bondings 2.0, September 1, 2025.

Pan American Health Organization. “Cures” for an Illness that Does Not Exist. Regional Office of the World Health Organization.

Picheta, Rob. ‘God, please fix me’: Inside the dangerous resurgence of ‘ex-gay’ conversion therapy. CNN, August 7, 2025.

Psychiatry and Religion Committee and LGBT Committee. Faith Communities and the Well-Being of LGBT Youth. Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, 2020.

Roe, Stuart. “‘Family Support Would Have Been Like Amazing’: LGBTQ Youth Experiences With Parental and Family Support.” The Family Journal, Vol. 25, no. 1, January 2017.

Russell, Stephen T., Meg D. Bishop, Victoria C. Saba, Isaac James, and Salvatore Ioverno. “Promoting School Safety for LGBTQ and All Students.” Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 2, October 2021.

Ryan, Caitlin. Helping Diverse Families Learn to Support Their LGBTQ Children to Prevent Health and Mental Health Risks and Promote Well-Being. Family Acceptance Project, Marian Wright Edelman Institute, San Francisco State University, 2021.

Ryan, Caitlin. A Practitioner’s Resource Guide: Helping Families to Support Their LGBT Children. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.

Ryan, Caitlin, Antonia Barba, and Judith A. Cohen. “Family-Based Psychosocial Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Youth Who Experience Trauma.” Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Vol. 32, Is. 4, October 2023.

Ryan, Caitlin, David Huebner, Rafael M. Diaz, and Jorge Sanchez. “Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young Adults.” Pediatrics, Vol. 123, No. 1, January 2009.

Ryan, Caitlin, and Graciela Slesaransky-Poe. Q&A for Helping Educators & School Providers to Provide Guidance. Family Acceptance Project, 2023.

Ryan, Caitlin, Stephen T. Russell, David Huebner, Rafael Diaz, and Jorge Sanchez. “Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults.” Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, Vol. 23, No. 4, November, 2010.

Ryan, Caitlin, Russel Toomey, Rafael Diaz, and Stephen Russell. Parent-Initiated Sexual Orientation Change Efforts with LGBT Adolescents: Implications for Young Adult Mental Health Adjustment. Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 67, No. 2, 2018.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Preventing Suicide: The Role of High School Teachers. Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2019.

Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. American Psychological Association, 2009.

Tran, Nguyen K et al. Conversion practice recall and mental health symptoms in sexual and gender minority adults in the USA: a cross-sectional study. The Lancet Psychiatry, Vol. 11, Is. 11, November 2024.

The Trevor Project. “The Mental Health and Well-Being of Latinx LGBTQ Young People.” Webpage, 2023.

White, Bill and Timothy White. My Gay Son Changed My Understanding of Evangelical Christianity. New York Times, August 6, 2025.

• NFCYM received a grant to create a resource that will help Catholic Schools integrate their service hours requirement into the total formation of their students. The writers are working hard on it -- and it's looking amazing. The grant gave NFCYM funding to send print resource kits to 150 schools FOR FREE! They are inviting members of Without Exception to help identify the best contact person at your schools to receive this resource. Just click the link and let them know should receive the resource.

• The annual Interfaith Weekend Retreat for LGBTQ+ Persons, Allies, and Family Members will be held on the weekend of November 7-9, 2025 at the Feliciana Retreat and Conference Center in Norwood, Louisiana. Those who belong to historically marginalized groups, which includes members of the LGBTQ+ community, are presently experiencing high levels of uncertainty, fear, and stress due to the political climate. Many are struggling to maintain some sense of hope for the future in order to survive. How can we get to that space within these stormy times? What do our wisdom figures say? For members of the LGBTQ+ community and their loved ones who are living through these challenging times, how can we move together as people of hope? How can we embrace loving kindness and compassion? How can we take action based on this hope? This annual retreat will provide a wonderful opportunity to dive into these important questions together as a beloved community. The facilitators are Sr. Rochelle Perrier, Brad Leger, and Fr. Buddy Noel. Registration deadline is October 22, 2025. Please email Brad for more information: brad@balconsulting.org.

August 2025

July 2025

June 2025

May 2025

April 2025

March 2025

Without Exception is a no-cost ministry network for Catholic secondary educators and those in related fields of ministry. Our mission is to provide networking and resources to accompany LGBTQ+ students and colleagues with the love of Jesus Christ and his church. The strength of this work rests on trust—please respect the privacy and confidentiality of all persons and schools connected to our network. In accordance with Catholic safe environment standards, Without Exception membership and mailing list participation are reserved for adults.

Without Exception is a global network of Catholic secondary educators dedicated to discerning the art of accompaniment for LGBTQ+ students in Catholic schools. Through a commitment to faithful dialogue and peer collaboration, we seek to understand what it means to share the love of Jesus Christ with every person, without exception.

Email: info@withoutexception.net

Website: www.withoutexception.net