✅ Josh Packard (Future of Faith)
In a world where institutions are met with skepticism and authority figures are often distrusted, many young people—especially those on the margins—struggle to believe that God sees them, hears them, or cares. But our national Sacred Listening Study shows something remarkable: when a young person feels truly heard, their connection to God deepens. Listening does not just build trust. It is faith formation.
In our research with over 2,000 people (including 1138 teenagers) 3/4 said that being listened to helped them process spiritual challenges and over 80% said that listening was critical in the moments that shaped their faith the most. For LGBTQ+ youth, who face higher risks of depression and suicidality, this kind of sacred attention can be a bridge to hope and encounter. Listening deeply to others is consistent with the Pope Francis’ call for an increased focus on accompaniment which reminds us that listening is not just a ministry tool—it is a theological act.
The data tell us clearly: young people are not looking for perfect answers. They are looking for someone who will understand them. Alexandria, a 24 year-old young woman told us “I just can't help but think about the Gen-Z population...I think they're looking for sanctuary and someone to help them and to listen to them and they're just looking to be heard.” They are looking for someone who will sit down, stay present, and hear them without judgment. In that moment, they often find not only acceptance—but the living presence of God.
You can read the full Sacred Listening Study and access free resources here.
✅ Tami Pyfer (The Dignity Index)
The following reflection appeared in the May 5, 2025 newsletter from The Dignity Index. It is reprinted with Tami's permission.
When I was in 8th grade, my junior high school librarian invited my class to write a short paper on life goals – basically, what did we want to be when we grew up? This was a no-brainer for me: I wanted to be a mother, a teacher, and a famous singer. At 13-years-old I had it all figured out! And for the most part, that vision of my future came true. I became a mother and a teacher, and while I’m not a famous singer, I did sing in a famous choir!
Almost 30 years of my career have been spent working in some capacity with K-12 educators – being a teacher, training teachers, raising money for schools, creating policy for public education, advising elected officials on education policy, and advocating for the teaching profession. It’s demanding yet fulfilling work!
This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and as I’ve reminisced with my kids about the teachers they admired the most, the themes are common: teachers who got to know them and made them feel seen and heard; who encouraged them to pursue things they were interested in or showed aptitude for; and who held them to the highest of standards in their work. My son related how he once shared a short story he’d written for a class assignment with a different teacher, just to get a quick proofread before he submitted it. Instead of a quick read, he said the teacher “did a full analysis, gave some blunt, harsh feedback, and told me I was writing way below my abilities. He challenged me to try again saying, 'I know you can do better than that, Pyfer.'” My son rewrote the paper, giving it his all, and again asked for feedback. He said the teacher read the new draft and then just nodded and said, "That’s the Pyfer I know.” My son has continued his writing to this day.
Last week (in my build up for Teacher Appreciation Week!), I spoke about the Dignity Index to members of the Idaho State PTA. As I prepared my remarks, I reflected on the controversy that had recently engulfed their community. In the midst of what seemed like a perfect storm of current and pending state law, district policy, and the growing political polarization affecting schools across the country, district officials had instructed 6th grade teacher Sarah Inama to remove a poster from her classroom which said "Everyone is welcome here," accompanied by images of hands in various skin tones.
The poster had hung in her room for four years. The district's concern wasn’t about the message itself but the imagery which they worried could now be associated with political or ideological views, putting them in violation of state law. At first Sarah agreed to take down the posters, but within a few days she decided they would stay, even if it meant her job.
The situation gained national attention and sparked significant backlash [see story from Idaho State Journal]. Students organized a walkout, outrage was directed at district officials and state lawmakers, and the public took sides. Even I found myself on the wrong end of the Dignity Index, wondering what those people could possibly be thinking?! (a THREE or a FOUR on the Index!) But as I looked at the situation through the lens of dignity, my heart went out to this community who was caught in a divisive, complicated situation.
And then I saw what dignity in action can look like. Parents and community members in this Idaho town decided to “fight back” not with protests or rallies or outrage or accusations, but through reaffirming the message that sparked the controversy in the first place. While elected officials were grappling with the unintended consequences of policy changes, community members and print shops got to work creating t-shirts and posters with the message "Everyone is Welcome Here." Within weeks, an estimated 15,000 people across the country were sharing this message of inclusion.
This issue has yet to be resolved, but teachers like Sarah remind me of my children’s favorite teachers – making sure each student is seen and heard, and encouraged to do their best. And I feel like the teachers, parents, and members of this community are leading the way by inviting us all to do better – to solve problems and ease divisions by using dignity, not contempt.
✅ Greg Walton (Always God's Children)
The following reflection appeared in the May 7, 2025 newsletter from Always God's Children. It is reprinted with Greg's permission. You can purchase an Always God's Children t-shirt here or a Mom Hug t-shirt here.
In May, the Church is mindful of Mary and Motherhood. As Mother’s day is approaching, I’d like to share a special Always God’s Children project called “Mom Hug” and wish blessings on all the mom’s in AGC. I hope this will also be a comfort to those who have tenuous parent relationships.
“Mom Hug,” which depicts the Virgin Mary embracing a rainbow-colored sheep, a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ community, was commissioned by Always God’s Children from the artist David Hayward (aka Naked Pastor). Three out of my five children are transgender, which has led my family through a complex religious, social, and moral landscape. I started Always God’s Children in 2022 to provide an emotionally safe space for LGBTQIA+ people, and those that love them: to pray, be authentic, share experiences and find kinship. As a Catholic, I believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, gives all humanity the ultimate Mom Hug through her yes to bearing Christ and her continued action in God’s love with the Communion of Saints.
The idea for “Mom Hug” was inspired by a blanket in our living room. It displays an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and was given to my wife and I by Angel, a close friend of our trans daughter, Evie.
Angel came to live with us his senior year of high school because he needed a Mom Hug (and Dad Hug) big time. His parents, his mother the most insistent, had, using her faith as justification, kicked him out of the house for being gay. Angel recognized that the love in our house grew out of a Catholic faith. His thoughtful Christmas gift honored that truth while also referencing his own Hispanic upbringing and speaking to his pain and longing for all-embracing parents, especially his mom.
The strongest links to suicidality for LGBTQIA+ youth are rejection by parents, and, especially when it’s important to a young person, religion. Angel suffered not only this weight but the extra burden of prejudice due to other family issues and biases in his cultural community, a phenomenon called intersectionality.
As a teenager, the Blessed Virgin Mary also endured scrutiny and the threat of rejection for following her prophetic path of bearing Jesus and his Gospel of loving God and loving the other as other. She understands the even greater pain of watching a child suffer because of people’s ignorance.
The biases within my Catholic community sometimes make it difficult for me to sit in front of our white, Western European depictions of Mary because I encounter Catholics who - intentionally or unintentionally - use her for an agenda that reinforces their fear of others.
I never, however, feel that way in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Indigenous Lady, Patroness of the Americas. Following the way of Christ, she focused on the lowliest and the least in 1531, and still does now as they continue to endure conquest, genocide, occupation and othering because of humanity’s penchant for power hoarding. In the face of this, I cling to the Matriarch of my Catholic faith and feel tremendous devotion to her.
I drape the Our Lady of Guadalupe blanket on our rocking chair to remind me of Angel, LGBTQIA+ youth and Mary's motherly reflection of God’s unstoppable love for us all. She is placed on the chair in such a way that it seems like Mary is sitting in our living room rocking “back and forth, back and forth” like the mom in the book Love You Forever. I can wrap her around me and rock with her.
Angel is doing well. He graduated college and serves with the National Guard. He has a chosen family of love and some reconciliation with his parents. A Catholic Mom and Dad hug and an image of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, are a part of his story.
The Blessed Mother has your back! I pray you have a joyous and hope filled Mother’s Day,
- The Family Acceptance Project (FAP) is launching a new online family support program to help families that are struggling to support their LGBTQ teens. More than 20 years ago, FAP initiated the first research and developed the first family support model to decrease family rejection and health risks and to increase family support and well-being for LGBTQ children and youth. FAP’s work supports families from racially, culturally and religiously diverse backgrounds. FAP’s new online program is available free of charge for both LGBTQ youth of color, ages 14-20, and their parents and caregivers. LGBTQ youth and caregivers from across the U.S. are invited to apply and youth and caregivers will receive up to $260 to participate. Help us let LGBTQ youth and their families know about this program! Family support is needed now more than ever and family support can save lives. For information about the Family Acceptance Project and our training and family support services, contact Dr. Caitlin Ryan at caitlincryan@gmail.com. To apply for this program, email us at familyacceptanceproject@umich.edu or text (734) 203-0584.
- Open Hearts and Family and Friends LGBTQ+ Ministry in Hartford, CT are hosting a joint event on Sunday, June 8. You are invited to a special panel event in person or online! LGBTQ+ families will share their stories from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, St. Patrick - St. Anthony Roman Catholic Parish, 285 Church St, Hartford, CT. All Are Welcome! Registration is required for in person or online through this link. Go to www.SPSACT.org for more info on Open Hearts and Family and Friends Ministry, or contact the office at 860-756-4034, or email info@spsact.org.
- Fortunate Families and the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative are launching Trans Mutual Aid, a monthly faith-based Zoom drop-in group for trans adults starting Wednesday, May 28th, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time and continuing on the 4th Wednesday of every month. The purpose of the group is to pray for one another, share how each person is being affected by church policies as well as by the significant changes in local, state, and federal laws/executive orders over the past few months, and organize to support each other and the wider trans community. Registration is available here.
The Williams Institute (UCLA School of Law) is holding a webinar titled Silencing Knowledge: How Executive Actions Threaten the Future of LGBTQ Research on June 17 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Panelists will discuss the current political and legal environment related to LGBTQ research funding and data collection, how data findings have improved our understanding and the health of LGBTQ communities, and what the loss of funding means for our knowledge of LGBTQ people. Registration is available here.
- Fortunate Families and the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative are also starting a support group for parents of transgender individuals. The group is titled Seeds of Hope and will be a safe and confidential listening space offering assistance for parents who wish to love and support their children. The group will meet on the 4th Sunday of each month starting on June 22, 2025 at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Registration is available here.
- The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi is sponsoring an in-person Day of Spiritual Renewal Retreat on Saturday, August 16 at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Starkville, MS. This day is presented by the Committee on Ministry for LGBT Persons and speakers include The Rev. Andy Andrews, The Rev. Susan Hrostowski, and The Very Rev. Walton Jones. Check-In begins at 8:30 am and the day will end with Closing Eucharist at 3:00 pm. Cost is $30 and includes a boxed lunch and t-shirt. Any questions can be sent to Betty Melton at diomslgbt@gmail.com. Registration is available here.
- Coming off its acclaimed Off-Broadway run, Communion is now touring nationally. This powerful, one-man, autobiographical play tells the story of a gay Catholic school teacher who is fired when the Church discovers he married a man. His termination sparks a crisis of faith—not only for himself but for his entire community. Communion is written and performed by Broadway actor Matthew LaBanca and weaves humor and heart into a deeply moving theatrical experience. Audiences have called Communion “profoundly relevant,” “unforgettable,” and “a must-see for our time. Want to bring Communion to your city? Contact us at www.CommunionSoloShow.com
- New Ways Ministry is sponsoring a retreat for EVERYBODY—LGBTQ+ people, family, friends, and pastoral ministers, and all interested people. Entitled "The Path of Desire: Adventures in Spirituality," the retreat will be held Friday to Sunday, September 5-7, 2025, at Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center, 303 Tunxis Road, West Hartford, Connecticut. The retreat will be facilitated by Lisa Fullam, D.V.M., Th.D., professor emerita of moral theology at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. This retreat will explore spiritualities of desire—spiritualities that seek God in the longings of our hearts and the yearnings of our imaginations. The weekend will combine talks, small group discussions, silent meditation, communal prayer, and socializing. More information and registration are available here.
- QNEST (Queers Never Experiencing Shame and Trauma) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing long-term housing solutions for homeless LGBTQ+ minors. Many of these youth face family rejection, leaving them without a safe place to live. With 62% of homeless LGBTQ+ minors attempting suicide, the need for stable, affirming housing is critical. QNEST aims to bridge this gap by establishing group homes where these adolescents can find security, complete their high school education, and develop the skills necessary for independent living. Currently, QNEST is fundraising to open their first home in Massachusetts, ensuring that LGBTQ+ minors have a safe place to call their own. Additionally, QNEST is planning to launch a biweekly peer support group for homeless LGBTQ+ minors in Massachusetts. This initiative aims to provide a safe, affirming space where these youth can share their experiences, build community, and access emotional support. The support group will focus on fostering peer connections, reducing isolation, and identifying critical needs faced by LGBTQ+ minors experiencing homelessness. Some specific needs to launch these projects include fundraising, grant writing, and networking with volunteers, group facilitators, mental health professionals, and building contractors. If you would like to connect with the Executive Director, Sarela Bliman-Cohen, then you may contact her at sarela@qnest.org.
- A Brighter Future for Catholic Schools: Innovation and Opportunity is available now from the National Catholic Educational Association. This is an important collection of essays from scholars and practitioners on the front lines of whole-child Catholic education. Chapter 3 is my essay on LGBTQ+ inclusion. It takes a new and transcendent approach to the intersection of Catholic schools and questions of faith, sexuality, and gender. If you have 30 minutes, then please listen to my podcast conversation with Tim Uhl on his podcast Catholic School Matters.
- FutureChurch is seeking a witness/testimony from families who journeyed with a loved through their process of coming out as LGBTQ+. This witness of mutual listening, love, and growth will be shared on a panel during our Pride Month series in June. Please reach out to Olivia Hastie from FutureChurch (Olivia@futurechurch.org) if you are interested in participating.
- The LGBTQ+ Initiative of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative is sponsoring a treat June 6-8, 2025 at the Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House near Chicago. Registration is now open for this event. You may access more detailed information at this link.
- Outreach will host a three-day guided retreat, led by James Martin, S.J., at Daylesford Abbey in Paoli, PA, outside of Philadelphia, from June 20-22, 2025. The retreat, “Jesus Desires your Friendship,” is designed for LGBTQ Catholics, their families and friends and those who minister to them. During this silent, preached retreat, Father Martin will offer several talks on the theme of how Jesus reaches out to those on the “margins,” but also invites us to create a community, overcoming the barriers of “us” and “them.” There will be opportunities for faith sharing in smaller groups as well as Masses celebrated on Saturday and Sunday. Space is limited and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, and to register, visit the website of Daylesford Abbey, a Norbertine abbey located on several acres of beautiful countryside.
- The Naming Project will hold its summer camp July 20-25, 2025 in Minnesota. The theme this year is Beautiful Things. From enjoying the beauty of creation, to arts & crafts exploring beauty and wonder, to music and songs that help us enjoy each other’s company and talents, and so much more, this summer will be a time to discover just how beautiful this world can truly be, and how God has made us all uniquely beautiful as part of this beautiful creation! We will take time in Bible study to explore how beautiful God declared creation to be, and how everyone is a part of all things wonderful even when we can’t always see it ourselves! Even when we don’t see it and can’t feel it, there is so much joy, beauty, and wonder all around us, and we plan to spend our amazing summer exploring it! Campers will experience large and small group conversation, personal quiet time as well as campfires, crafts, swimming, games, and summer camp fun in the beauty of God’s creation! Find more information at The Naming Project.
