✅ Fr. William Hart McNichols (Albuquerque, NM)
Be gracious to me O Lord, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted with grief, my soul and body also.
Strong as I am, I stumble because of my inequality,
and my bones waste away.
I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have come to be like something lost.
Yea, I hear many whispering-terror on every side,
as they scheme together against me to take my life.
But I trust in thee, O Lord, I say, "Thou are my God."
Rescue me from those who persecute me!
I will rejoice and be glad for thy unfailing love,
because thou hast cared for me in my distress
and thou hast not abandoned me,
but hast set me free.
(Re-reading of Psalm 31)
This tragic, solemn image was commissioned by Fr. Joseph Veneroso (around the year 2000) for an issue on contemporary victims of different kinds of violence for Maryknoll Magazine. It was inspired by an icon of Jesus Dead called "Jesus Christ Extreme Humility."
I had heard that Matthew was hung on that deer fence in Wyoming on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, 7 October 1998, and also his mother, Judy Shepard, was hoping he was not alone. During my years as a hospice chaplain I remember reading in many books that "no one dies alone." He actually died in a hospital on 12 October. I was very conscious of Judy's wish while creating this image, and so I put a full moon in the night sky. In Catholic symbolism Mary is the Moon, the reflected light of the Son. Someone was there with him.
In 1992 I was commissioned by Archbishop (now Cardinal) Stafford of Denver to paint/write a second icon of "Our Lady of the New Advent: The Burning Bush" to be given to Pope St. John Paul II at World Youth Day in August 1993. While in Denver amidst thoustands of joyous young people, I was walking near the Capitol building when I encountered one lonesome young LGBTQ girl, in the vast sea of youth, handing out cards which had a prayer on the back of the card with a re-reading of Psalm 31. I was very much aware that God had led me to see and meet and affirm this girl.
The 1993 card read, "Dedicated to the memory of the 1488 gay and lesbian youth who die by suicide in the US each year, and to the countless others who are injured or murdered."
Most recently there was another violent, senseless shooting of LGBTQ youth in Colorado Springs. I knew it was time to bring this icon into the world again; also to affirm that there are people in the Catholic Church who share all their pain and misunderstanding. We very much love them and walk right beside them.
Fr. Bill McNichols
December 2022
NOTE: This reflection was shared by Fr. Bill and the image is used with his permission. See this icon and others, along with extended autobiographical insights, in All My Eyes See: The Artistic Vocation of Fr. William Hart McNichols.
On Tuesday, October 29 from 7:00 - 8:15 PM Eastern Time we will host Dr. Ish Ruiz, a Catholic theologian with special interest in the intersection of LGBTQ+ persons and Catholic education. We will be celebrating the release of Ish's new book LGBTQ+ Educators in Catholic Schools (see below).
This event will begin with a presentation by Ish, followed by time for questions and conversation. Please email David to reserve a spot. The Zoom link will be released to participants 30 minutes before the event. (This event will not be recorded.)
Ish Ruiz was "Member 1" of Without Exception when this ministry started in 2021. He is an assistant professor of Latinx and Queer Decolonial Theology at Pacific School of Religion and holds a PhD in Theology and Ethics from the Graduate Theological Union. Prior to his appointment at the Pacific School of Religion, Ish was a post-doctoral fellow at Candler School of Theology at Emory University and an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton. He also worked at the secondary school level for 11 years, chaired the Marianist LGBTQ+ Initiative team, served as a union activist to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ Church employees, and presented in various pastoral conferences throughout the US.
Since 2007, a Catholic LGBTQ+ organization called New Ways Ministry has documented over 60 cases of LGBTQ+ educators and allies who have been fired from Catholic schools throughout the US. The firings are met with significant local and national public outcry, resulting in fragmented, polarized, and wounded Catholic school communities throughout the nation. Who are these educators? Why are they fired? And is there a better way to respond to the presence of LGBTQ+ employees (as well as students and families) in Catholic education? In LGBTQ+ Educators in Catholic Schools, Dr. Ish Ruiz responds to this controversy with a new theological framework, based on Pope Francis’s vision for a synodal Church, that will aid Catholic schools in an effort to include LGBTQ+ educators while remaining faithful to the Catholic tradition. 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.
On Wednesday, October 9 from 7:30 - 9:00PM Eastern Time we will host Fr. Kevin O'Neil, CSsR for a presentation on "The Primacy of Conscience." As election season ramps up and anti-LGBTQ+ bills and policies continue to affect our nation and our church, come hear Fr. Kevin talk about foundational questions in moral theology and how being faithful to your deepest self is being faithful to the image of God within you. This is a critical topic at a time when our church and schools have not yet reached consensus on what it means to be a "faithful Catholic." Please email David to reserve a spot. The Zoom link will be released to participants 30 minutes before the event. (This event will not be recorded.)
Fr. Kevin O’Neil, CSsR, was born in Kingston, NY. After grammar school, he entered the Redemptorist seminary formation program, studying at St. Mary’s Seminary High School, St. Alphonsus College, and Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary, where he received a Master’s in Religious Education (MRE) and a Master’s of Divinity (M.Div.). He was professed a Redemptorist in 1975 and ordained in 1981. After two years in parochial and Hispanic ministry at Mission Church in Boston, he was sent to study moral theology. He received his Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Morales in 1986 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Alphonsian Academy in 1989.
From 1990 to 2012, Fr. Kevin taught moral theology at the Washington Theological Union. Presently, he serves on the leadership team for the Baltimore Province of the Redemptorists. With fellow Redemptorist Fr. Peter Black, Fr. Kevin co-authored The Essential Moral Handbook and Life, Death, and Catholic Medical Choices.
- Father William Hart McNichols is a friend to our network and is widely known as one of the world’s most gifted living religious artists and iconographers. A former Jesuit and student of the famed Franciscan iconographer Robert Lentz, Fr. Bill’s icons have been honored with exhibitions in major US cities and the subject of a full-length documentary. Recently his years of ministry to the dying during the AIDS crisis in New York City were the focus of a podcast, and later a book, by journalist Michael O’Laughlin. Through interviews with writer and theologian Chris Pramuk, Fr. Bill shares the moving story of his early loneliness and sense of being set apart for some purpose―a purpose realized in his twin vocations as priest and artist. From early childhood, his art expressed his inner life, with special attention to the beauty of the world, the vulnerability of children, and God’s compassionate solidarity with those who suffer. During his AIDS ministry, this took new focus with such works as his “AIDS Crucifixion.” Later, after apprenticeship with iconographer Robert Lentz, he began a new life, producing hundreds of icons of Christ, Mary, the saints, and many holy people of our time. More than a catalog of an artist’s work All My Eyes See is a deep journey into the heart of a great spiritual teacher.
- Building Catholic Futures (BCF) officially launched a website in September. By providing LGBT+ resources for Catholic missionary discipleship, BCF equips Catholic institutions to serve and share the Gospel with LGBT+ people of all ages. The BCF resources for Catholic schools and youth catechesis help weave the hopes, longings, and questions of gay youth into the story of Catholic faith.
- Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House (Sedalia, CO) is running a group retreat for LGBTQ+ people and loved ones from November 1-3. The theme is "Wonderfully Made" and will be facilitated by Paula Sapienza. In an affirming environment, the group will pray and reflect together on the gift and wonder of how God is creating us moment-by-moment, seeking to draw us ever deeper into relationship with God and with others for God’s greater glory and for our joy. Group Weekend Retreats include presentations, opportunities to connect and share with others, time for personal reflection, relaxation and prayer and daily Mass in a place of natural beauty that respects peacefulness through silence. Group Weekend Retreats are open to anyone, regardless of faith or church affiliation. Check-in is 6:30-7:00 P.M. on Friday. The first session begins at 7:00 P.M. on Friday, and the retreat ends after lunch on Sunday. Registration requires a $50 deposit, which will be applied to the total cost of your retreat ($280 with meals included). Call 303-688-4189 x122 or email by 9:00 AM Mountain Time at least one business day prior to reserve your spot.
- New Ways Ministry announced in August that Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., will receive the 2024 Bridge Building Award on November 15. Bishop John was named the Bishop of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, by Pope Francis in 2015 and has been a consistent and strong supporter of LGBTQ+ issues in the US Catholic Church. In addition to leading and participating in numerous LGBTQ+ events, Bishop Stowe supported the Tyler Clementi Foundation statement to protect vulnerable youth and the federal Equality Act, although this act was opposed by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has stood alongside the LGBTQ+ Catholic community by accepting a transgender man as a hermit in his diocese. Whether it has been through his welcoming call for pastoral ministry, his support for civil protections for LGBTQ+ people, or his advocacy for more compassionate responses from the US hierarchy, Bishop John has moved the Catholic conversation on LGBTQ+ issues in a decidedly positive direction. You can read more here.
- Fortunate Families Inc, of Lexington, KY, is launching additional ministry formation sessions using a series of 15 videos on the lives of transgender and non-binary persons. The Ministry Formation track is designed for the formation of pastoral ministers to enable the participants to better accompany transgender and non-binary persons as they embrace their lived reality in the context of their Christian faith. It combines facilitated cohort meetings with practical experience accompanying a transgender/non-binary person. The Group Education track is designed for dioceses, schools, parishes, medical associations, parish LGBTQ+ ministries, and similar organizations to help them understand the many issues that affect the personal and spiritual well-being of transgender and non-binary persons and their families. These groups should have their own facilitators. Recorded in 2021/22 and 2024, the videos are facilitated by Sister Luisa Derouen, OP and Fortunate Families. Additional information can be found on the Fortunate Families website. Individuals for the Ministry track should apply on-line by September 27th. Sessions will begin in October. Groups for the educational track can apply year-round. To apply as a group please contact Fortunate Families directly.
- Jory Mertens (ArtByJory) is a Carthage, Missouri-based artist. He works in digital fine art and illustration, often using cubist, geometric, and fauvist elements. Many of his works are based on his view of Jesus as being radically inclusive. He enjoys creating works based on his family, theology, nature, and portraits of heroes of humanity. As a special gift for our community Jory is offering a 30% discount on ALL his artwork with discount code WITHOUTEXCEPTION30. Please do not scan, copy, or otherwise reproduce Jory's artwork. He retains the copyright on all images even after purchase.
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