Without Exception Newsletter
January 2026
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.
✅ From the Editor
1. After five years of research and five months of writing, my dissertation was officially approved on December 27! Please let me know if you would like to see a confidential final copy of A Pastoral Framework to Decrease Risk and Increase Support for Sexual and Gender Minority Students in Catholic High Schools. The presentation will be scheduled sometime during the spring semester at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. In my acknowledgements page, I extend my deepest gratitude "to the seventy-three participants who gave ten hours of their summer to engage in this experience of learning, faith, and service. And to the various individuals, dioceses, parishes, schools, ministries, and Catholic organizations that quietly supported my effort to find a way forward in both faith and dialogue." I've made so many mistakes along they way, but this experience has taught me how to be both brave and humble. I am thankful for all the grace, mercy, and good-will extended to me by this network.
2. Without Exception will turn five years old in May. I am still hoping to grow our reach to support LGBTQ+ persons and their families, especially now when the need for support is so great. If you know somebody who would be interested in our network and resources, then please invite them to join our mailing list. Underrepresented states include Hawaii, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Arkansas, Nevada, Vermont, and West Virginia. I am also looking to grow our international list of contacts. Please help spread the word "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
3. Many editions of our newsletter include reflections from LGBTQ+ students or others "in their own words." I'm almost out of material, so I could use help gathering more input from our network (see examples below and in previous newsletters). Possible reflection questions include:
What are some of your favorite shows, music, books, apps, or teams? And why do you enjoy them?
What is one place at school where you feel most yourself or most at ease?
How do you describe or understand your identity?
Who is someone who has been a champion or source of support for you, and what have they done that mattered?
What motivates you to keep showing up to school, even on difficult days?
What is something that has made your experience at school more challenging or painful?
What is something—person, practice, or belief—that has made your experience less difficult or more hopeful?
What is one thing you wish peers or adults better understood about your experience?
How do you experience God, faith, or meaning in your life right now (or how has that changed over time)?
If Jesus were here listening to you, what would you want to ask him or tell him?
✅ Retired Catholic Cardinal (Somewhere USA)
The following note is an affirmation of the work we are doing to promote support for Catholic families with LGBTQ+ children. Stay tuned for an official release in 2026.
The time and effort given to the research-based booklet is evident in the organization of the topics, the presentation of collected data, and the citations from Scripture, the Catechism, the Holy See, and the USCCB ... Please know of my appreciation and regard for your care and concern that all families and children, and all people, experience the Church as a place of welcome and support.
- Theology for the Unwanted is a bold, compassionate, and faithful exploration of what it means to belong to the Catholic Church―especially when you've been made to feel like you don't. Drawing on the depth of Catholic theology, scripture, and lived experience, Daniel Tillson speaks directly to those who have felt pushed to the margins: LGBTQ Catholics, divorced and remarried individuals, single adults, and others who wonder if there is still room for them in the pews. His answer is clear and heartfelt: Yes, there is. Writing with pastoral warmth and theological clarity, Tillson shows how Catholic teaching can―and must―engage with the complexity of modern life while remaining rooted in truth. He brings the reader into conversation with scripture, natural law, and contemporary moral theology, illuminating how the Church has developed over time and how it continues to grow. Without campaigning for doctrinal change, this book opens space for discernment, healing, and authentic spiritual maturity―encouraging each person to live fully into the dignity with which God created them. Learn more about the book in this article from Outreach or this podcast episode from Theology for the Unwanted.
- Through the Scriptures, Tradition, liturgies, and devotions, people can encounter the living Christ and experience his love, healing, and freedom. But what happens when the women and men in the Church who are tasked with teaching doctrine, preaching God’s word, or presiding over the sacraments, do so with carelessness or coercion? What harm is done when the place of healing becomes a source of harm? Paul Fahey, co-founder of Where Peter Is, is offering a workshop on spiritual abuse for (1) individuals trying to better understand their experiences of spiritual abuse in the Church, (2) clergy and lay leaders interested in safeguarding their communities from spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience, and (3) therapists or spiritual directors working with clients who have been spiritually abused. This workshop will help you recognize and prevent spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Church; know the symptoms of spiritual abuse, religious trauma, and moral injury, and better understand and respond to abusive systems in the Church. This is five-part live workshop that will be held virtually for two different cohorts in January and February. Each group will have between 5 and 12 participants and space will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. While the full value of the five-part series is $400, you decide what you can pay. Whether it’s $10 or more than $400, your contribution is appreciated. More information and registration is available here.
- Dr. Julia Sadusky is the leading Catholic scholar-practitioner on the intersection of faith, sexuality, and gender. On February 1, 2026 she is launching a new educational series named Talking with Your Teen About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics. Today’s teens are getting an education about sex long before parents get a chance to talk to them. Many teens are being exposed to information about sexuality from peers, social media, and sources other than their Catholic faith. This series gives parents and caregivers the language, modeling, and faithfully-Catholic framework to shape a teen's understanding of sexuality. It will help families wade through difficult conversations with charity, compassion, and greater ease. Topics covered include puberty, dating, boundaries, sexual intercourse, masturbation, pornography, and the use of digital media. See the trailer here. For schools, parishes, or other Catholic groups looking for bulk access for parents and caregivers, please contact admin@luxcc.org. Dr. Julia's authoritative books in this area include Emerging Gender Identities, Emerging Sexual Identities, Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex, and Talking with Your Teen About Sex.
- Bryan Herpfer and Dr. Anna Holleman in the Department of Sociology at Appalachian State University are conducting a sociological study on "Belonging and Rejection Among Transgender Catholic Congregants.” This study seeks to understand how transgender and gender non-conforming Catholics experience belonging and rejection in Catholic parishes. Participation in a private 60 minute interview is completely voluntary. These interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participants will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. Please contact Bryan Herpfer or Anna Holleman if interested.
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- New Ways Ministry will host a retreat for LGBTQ+ people and friends from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, 2026. Titled "Walking Together, Walking with Christ," this retreat will be hosted by the Siena Retreat Center near Milwaukee International Airport in Wisconsin. Led by Brian Flanagan, the time together will combine talks, synodal conversation, silent meditation, communal prayer, and time for socializing. More complete information is available here.
- Outreach 2026 will gather LGBTQ lay people, clergy, scholars, artists, educators, students and family members to celebrate five years of Outreach ministry. The three-day conference, which will be held at Georgetown University from June 19 to 21, 2026, will feature keynote presentations, panels, liturgies and opportunities for networking and friendship. More information is available here.
Without Exception is a no-cost ministry network for Catholic secondary educators and those in related fields of ministry. Our mission is to provide connection, formation, and shared resources to accompany LGBTQ+ students, colleagues, and their families with the love of Jesus Christ and the Church. Our monthly newsletter is distributed on the first working day of each month. Members are asked to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all persons and schools connected to Without Exception. In accordance with Catholic safe environment standards, membership and mailing list participation are reserved for adults.