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- Dr. Ish Ruiz has two new books out this month. First, along with editor Mark Guevarra, Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions shares testimonies from LGBTQ+ people who have worked in Catholic schools and parishes. These stories underscore the blessings and challenges faced by many LGBTQ+ church employees, and they portray the lives of people who answered the call to serve in the Catholic Church despite the risk of termination. In many cases, their employments were terminated because of their LGBTQ+ identity. In other cases, employees were retained, offering a model of what is possible by following Jesus’s call to radically inclusive love. Second, in LGBTQ+ Educators in Catholic Schools: Embracing Synodality, Inclusivity, and Justice Ish responds to the controversy of employee terminations with a new theological framework, based on Pope Francis’s vision for a synodal Church. His framework offers a multifaceted approach to this issue by examining the fields of pastoral ministry, sexual morality, ecclesiology, and Catholic social teaching to craft an inclusive synodal vision for Catholic education. More importantly, Ish answers Pope Francis’s calls for a Church that listens by lifting up the stories of LGBTQ+ educators and their invaluable contributions to Catholic schools. The book can be pre-ordered here with discount code RLFANDF25. We are tentatively planning a Zoom event with Ish to celebrate these book launches. More details will follow in a special announcement.
- The Family Acceptance Project (FAP) is launching the first online family program to help parents of color who are struggling with their teen’s LGBTQ identity to decrease rejection and increase family support. The program is open to parents and LGBTQ youth of color (ages 14-18) from across the U.S. Dr. Caitlin Ryan – FAP’s Director and her team – conducted the first research on LGBTQ youth and families and developed the first family support model to help ethnically, racially and religiously diverse families to learn to support their LGBTQ children. FAP”s work is carried out in the context of the family’s cultural and religious backgrounds. Dr. Ryan is a Catholic researcher and clinical social worker who has worked on LGBTQ health and mental health for nearly 50 years and whose work has been recognized by major professional and community organizations and by LGBTQ, civic, advocacy, arts and faith-based groups. For information about this new program, contact Dr. Ryan at fap@sfsu.edu.
- GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) released their 2024 national school climate survey. This survey is about school experiences of youth who are LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, and more) or questioning. The information shared will be used to work toward safe and affirming schools for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. The survey is intended for students 13 years or older who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or two spirit and attended middle or high school in the US last year.
- The London Jesuit Centre in the United Kingdom is sponsoring a two-day online conference from July 5-6 titled "The Church and 'Gender Theory': Theory, Rhetoric and Practice." The terms “gender theory," and the more hostile “gender ideology," are prominent in Catholic discourse. This rhetoric has been given relatively little attention in Catholic academic inquiry. This poses a problem for a Church that wishes to engage reflectively and reflexively with the challenging and contentious questions that arise around sex, gender, and the other issues that are folded under concerns around "gender theory." This online conference aims to address this deficit, featuring a range of papers exploring Catholic "gender theory" discourse from a range of disciplinary perspectives. More information is available through the link above.
- Regent College (Vancouver, CAN) is offering a course titled "Being Human in God's World: How the Old Testament Helps Us Understand Our Humanity in a Complex & Broken World." This course will explore how the Old Testament speaks of humanity through story and poetry. The portrait of humanity it presents is realistic, engaging many of today's biggest questions and issues: identity, ethnicity, gender, family breakdown, violence in all its forms, economic justice, political wranglings, relating to creation, and living with vulnerability, pain, and death. Yet, through it all, the human person’s call remains clear: to walk in the world as God’s cherished covenantal partner. The course will run July 15 to July 19, 8:30 - 11:30 AM Pacific Time. More information is available here.
The Naming Project Summer Camp will run this summer from July 28 - August 2 in Minnesota. The theme this year is Abundant Life! Sometimes, especially these days, it can be hard to believe in abundant life. Everywhere we look, we see limitations on who we are, on our relationships, and the future ahead of us. God’s promise, over and over again, for all of us, is that we will have abundant life, not limited in any way. This summer, claim that promise of abundant life with The Naming Project, and discover how to ensure others have abundant life as well. 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! More information is available here.
Each year, Outreach gathers LGBTQ lay people, clergy, scholars, artists, educators, students and family members to build community, share best practices and worship together. The schedule and registration link are available for the 2024 conference, which is now sold out. The event will be at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. from August 2-4.
- The USCCB Youth and Young Adult Ministries is holding webinars in May, June, and July to assist in diocesan, parish, and school plans for the Annual Global Celebration of Youth and Young Adults, the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Christ the King Sunday), and the upcoming Listen, Teach, Send Framework. Please share this webinar flyer with anyone who is serving in ministry with young people and who would be interested in joining for one or more of these sessions.
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