Without Exception Newsletter

Rejoice always.

On Wednesday, November 12 from 8:00 - 9:00 PM Eastern Time we will host priest, author, and speaker, Fr. James Martin, SJ, for a night of conversation on the theme of hope in our shared ministry to LGBTQ+ persons.

Please reply to David to reserve a spot. The Zoom link will be released to participants 30 minutes before the event. This event will not be recorded.

On Tuesday, December 9 from 8:00 - 9:30 PM Eastern Time we will host JR Zerkowski, Executive Director of Fortunate Families, for an exclusive interview and conversation on Catholic ministry to support LGBTQ+ persons and their families. As a pastoral associate, Chair of the Diocese of Lexington LGBTQ Commission, and author of Coming Out and Coming Home, JR will share insights from his own faith journey and years of pastoral leadership.

Please reply to David to reserve a spot. The Zoom link will be released to participants 30 minutes before the event. This event will not be recorded.

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.

Please pray for me as I continue to work on my dissertation titled "A Pastoral Framework to Reduce Risk and Increase Support for Sexual and Gender Minority Students in Catholic High Schools." I have four chapters completed: (1) pastoral problem, (2) family and school support foundations, (4) design and implementation, and (5) evaluation. There are two chapters remaining: (3) theological foundations [in progress] and (6) conclusions. My goal is to have a complete draft by January 1.

In the meantime, here is the draft of an article I wrote to be published by NFCYM in Accompany Magazine this winter. It presents an elementary summary of my framework for pastoral action.

And here is a link to my recent appearance on Catholic School Matters with Dr. Tim Uhl to discuss Pope Leo's new apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, and its implications for Catholic schools.

The following note is an affirmation of the work we are doing to promote support for Catholic families with LGBTQ+ children.

Thank you for all you are doing to promote parental support for LGBT+ young people. In my years as a parish priest, this was a neuralgic and sometimes tragic element of suffering for LGBT youth. I will share your booklet on Family Acceptance with my staff as an aid in understanding how to address this critical need. May the Lord bless you always ...

• Outreach will host a regional gathering at St. Monica Catholic Community, in Santa Monica, California, on Thurs., Dec. 11, 2025, celebrating Advent with a Lessons and Carols prayer service and social gathering. The event will be co-hosted with the Catholic Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Persons (CMLGP) of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and St. Monica’s Parish. To register for the Los Angeles event, complete the the registration form. For more information, email John Consolie, Outreach’s communications and advancement associate, at jconsolie@americamedia.org.

• Outreach will hold its next national gathering, Outreach 2026, at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, from June 19-21, 2026. The 2026 conference will include a number of keynote speakers, panels, and Masses. Outreach will also mark its fifth anniversary during the conference.

"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.

Horan, Daniel. Can doctrine be changed? Another look at Pope Leo's comment on LGBTQ+ Catholics. National Catholic Reporter, October 2, 2025.

Jenkins, Claire. Wrong Bodies, Wrong Schools: Trans Children in Today's Schools. Claire Jenkins, 2025.

Kuzma, Max. Pope Francis’ LGBTQ+ Welcome Is Needed Now More Than Ever. Bondings 2.0, New Ways Ministry, October 9, 2025.

Leo XIV. Dilexi Te (To All Christians on Love for the Poor). The Holy See, October 4, 2025.

Mental Health America. Supporting Young Minds. Mental Health America, 2025.

Mungai, Christian. People Are the Wealth: An African Vision for a People-Focused, Missional Christian Life. Tyndale Elevate, 2025.

Packard, Josh. Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations. Baker Academic, 2025.

Packard, Josh, Megan Bissell, and Brandon Wong. Relational Discipleship in Ministry with Youth: Mapping the Past, Confronting the Gaps, Shaping the Future. Future of Faith, 2025.

Reeves, Richard. Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do About It. Brookings Institution Press, 2022.

Reinert, M., T. Nguyen, and D. Fritze. The State of Mental Health in America 2025. Mental Health America, October 2025.

Sadusky, Julia. I’m a Christian Therapist in Colorado, And Here’s Why Conversion Therapy Laws Protect Christians. Substack, September 27, 2025.

Sprinkle, Preston. Dr. Julia Sadusky: Should the State Ban Conversion Therapy for Minors? [video] YouTube, October 2, 2025.

Tran, Quang. Catholics and Conversion Therapy Bans: The Problem with Free Speech Objections. America, October 20, 2025.

Uhl, Tim. Dilexi Te: Pope Leo's New Publication. Catholic School Matters, October 27, 2025.

Vaidyanathan, Brandon, Stephen Cranney, Stephen P. White, and Sara Perla. Morale, Leadership, and Pastoral Priorities: Highlights from the 2025 National Study of Catholic Priests. The Catholic Project, The Catholic University of America, October 2025.

Zerkowski, JR. Coming Out and Coming Home. Butler Books, 2022.

• The Boston College Roche Center for Catholic Education is excited to announce an opening of the application for the next Catholic Leadership Cohort (CLC ‘28). This Master’s Program in Educational Leadership and Policy is offered from the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, the #1 Catholic Education Department in the country. Aspiring or emerging leaders are invited to apply to this program. More information about the Catholic Leadership Cohort is available through this prospectus or the CLC website.

• Amid the marginalization, scapegoating, and targeting of trans and non-binary persons, it is important to spend time together in prayer and solidarity. Rooted in the Ignatian values of cura personalis and accompaniment, Camino warmly invites you to join us every Monday night at 9:00 PM Eastern Time on Zoom. This is an opportunity to hold one another in God’s presence, pray for healing and justice, and strengthen one another with simple fellowship. It is a space where you can come exactly as you are. Whether you stay for the full time or just drop in briefly, your presence is a blessing. Together, we can nurture compassion, resist division, and be a sign of God’s inclusive love for trans and non-binary persons and their friends and allies. Please consider joining us, and invite a friend who might need encouragement.

October 2025

September 2025

August 2025

July 2025

June 2025

May 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