Blog Articles from the Sons of St. Joseph

When I was a child, at best, I would describe Catholicism as an occasionally pleasant distraction. After Mass on Sunday, my father usually took us to get donuts; at school, “religion class” was a welcome

At mid-life, with the possibility of another corrective surgery looming before me, I often get angry. During my early-30s, I spent a lot of time in recovery. I underwent a series of medical procedures meant

From October 9 – 10, 2020, at their Jesuit Retreat Center located in Parma, Ohio, (Diocese of Cleveland) the Society of Jesus will host an LGBTQ retreat called “Emmaus 2020: A Time for Healing: Ourselves

The P.E. teacher told everyone to form a line and face forward. Oh my god, I thought to myself. Not again. How these two alpha-preadolescent-boys were chosen to stand before me, I had no idea;

It seems to be a fact that you have to suffer as much from the Church as for it… ― Flannery O'Connor, "The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor" At mid-life, I have absolutely

I was sick; I was dying; I needed help. After a night of rough sex inside a San Francisco bondage club, I collapsed onto the cold pavement somewhere near the Castro District. I had nowhere

Jesuit priest Donal Godfrey, during his August 23, 2020 homily at St. Agnes Catholic Church in San Francisco, stated that he celebrated mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School (SHC) on the previous Friday -

In a recent essay, “Brought to Life by Christ,” primarily about his struggles with homosexuality as a Dominican priest, James Alison wrote: All this time I was still wrestling with being gay. Not that this

“…we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church's teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be

The following Catholic archdioceses in the United States received funds from the Department of Treasury’s PPP program intended for struggling businesses that were hit especially hard during the COVID-19 crisis; the scandal-plagued Archdioceses of New

On June 28, 2020, Paulist priest Rick Walsh offered “a reflection” entitled “We All Belong to Each Other” at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in New York city; the parish is the motherhouse of

On the official Twitter account of “Catholic Charities” in San Francisco, several tweets were posted that commemorate the “Pride” month of June; including a tribute to the late LGBT-rights advocate Harvey Milk, a guide on

“Those who go beneath the surface, do so at their peril.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray We are entering into a time of crisis that has little to do with the virulence

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lock-down, which caused the nationwide closing of churches and the cancellation of the Holy Mass, two separate Roman Catholic parishes, on different sides of the

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the largest LGBT advocacy group in the US. Founded in 1980 by Steve Endean; a self-described "Midwestern Catholic boy” who once considered the priesthood, Endean found some initial support

Pictured above: In 1993, then Auxiliary Bishop George Pell accompanied predator priest Gerald Ridsdale to his court appearance – where Ridsdale was charged with 30 incidents of indecent assault involving nine boys aged between 12

Above: "Study for a Head," by Francis Bacon, 1952. “When I was in sin, the sight of lepers nauseated me beyond measure; but then God himself led me into their company, and I had pity

Above: From the St. Ignatius Parish published e-book, "Our Stories: Being LGBT and Catholic." On March 11, 2020, St. Ignatius Catholic Church in New York City will host a benefit concert for The Ali Forney

Above: From one of the many featured "Liturgies" offered at the 2020 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. On February 27, 2020, the Office of Worship in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the largest archdiocese in

Above: Dave Dwyer of the Paulist Fathers hosts Cardinal Timothy Dolan's radio show: "Conversation with Cardinal Dolan." On Ash Wednesday 2020, the LGBT ministry of Out at St. Paul announced that they will post a

In 2013, actor Mark Wahlberg was profiled in a lengthy article from "The Hollywood Reporter" in which he discussed his career and his religious beliefs; concerning Catholicism and same-sex marriage, Wahlberg came-out in support of

On February 14, 2020, Gonzaga University opened its new Lincoln LGBTQ+ Rights Clinic on their Spokane, WA, campus. According Jacob Rooksby, dean at Gonzaga’s School of Law: “Gonzaga Law School is one of only a

At St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, the school’s “inclusive curriculum” includes reading several pro-LGBT children’s literature books. Here are a few of the titles and a short description of each:

[Warning: Graphic links.] From February 21-23, 2020, during the annual Los Angeles Religious Education Congress (LA REC), the artwork of gay iconographer William Hart McNichols will be displayed in the “Arena Lobby” at the Anaheim

On March 1, 2020, a Catholic LGBT advocacy group in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Fortunate and Faithful Families, will offer a “retreat” entitled – "A New Heart." According to Fortunate and Faithful Families: Fortunate and

Pictured above: An "Episcopal Advisor" to Fortunate Families is Bishop Thomas Gumbleton. On April 25 – 26, 2020, the Catholic parishes of St. Thomas More and St. Francis of Assisi, both in the Diocese of

In 2012, when I was in the process of writing my first book, I stated that I had never been molested or sexually abused as a child. That wasn’t true, but it also wasn’t a

Above: Current Bishop (Since 2013) of the Diocese of Oakland - Michael C. Barber, SJ. In a “Letter” posted on the January 2, 2020 issue of the online edition of “The Catholic Voice,” the official

(Pictured above: Which is more perverse? – I’d much rather hang out with two guys wearing black rubber body suits than step inside that church.) Over the past thirty-something years, I have attended the Gay

On March 30, 2019, Catholic priest James Martin will receive the Thomas A. Dooley Award from the Gay and Lesbian Alumni of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College (GALA-ND/SMC). The GALA-ND/SMC is

Of the roughly one dozen “Liturgies” that will be celebrated at the 2019 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress (LA REC), the presiders at these themed masses include Archbishop Jose Gomez and Bishop Kevin Van. In

According to Seattle University’s “Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming and Non Binary Inclusive Housing Policy,” eligibility for student housing is determined not by biological sex but gender identity. In addition, students have the opportunity to: “Correct their

(Above: Bishop John Stowe of Lexington speaking before the annual New Ways Ministry National Symposium in 2017; Sister Jeannine Gramick is also pictured.) In a December 21, 2018 post to their official Facebook page, the

(Above: Roger Mahony addressing the USCCB on November 13, 2018.) Despite a 2013 statement from Archbishop Jose Gomez, the current head of the largest archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, Cardinal

(Above: Thomas Reese and Thomas Rosica, the English language media attaché of the Holy See Press Office.) On March 22, 2019, Jesuit priest Thomas Reese will speak at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress (LA

At the Out at St. Paul Book Club, the topic of discussion will be Jamie O'Neill's novel "At Swim, Two Boys." O’Neill is a gay Irish author who was raised a Roman Catholic. Leaving home

On October 20, 2018, Jesuit priest James Martin spoke about “showing respect and welcome to LGBT people and their families” at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Decatur, Georgia. Almost from the very beginning Martin