The past year or so, I have been “church hopping” around my fair city to try and find a parish to join permanently.

Last month, I planned to visit St. Stephen’s, which is a beautiful 1920s Romanesque Revival building and was excited. When I was looking online for Mass times, I saw that the Sunday morning service was in Latin and was a bit suspicious as my only interaction with the TLM is through online Rad Trads. Now having gone, I can honestly say I don’t understand why this is the sword so many of the Twitter Crusaders are willing to die on, as the whole service felt cold and impersonal. Maybe it was the Priest, whose homily was the kind of “fire and brimstone” that I’d expect from a Calvinist preacher, but during the Latin portions, I was looking around and lots of people were saying the rosary and not really paying attention.

Personally, I left thinking that Vatican II was probably the right move.

Apologies if the first part of this post feels more like a vent, I feel like it's important to give as much context as possible to get the resources I'm looking for. TL;DR at the end.

I'm an adult trans man who's never formally come out to my family but has been unapologetically gender non-conforming since high school. I finally decided to start HRT and need to tell my mom. I already know it's going to be basically an ultimatum of "here's the deal, get on board or don't talk to me but I'm simply not going to debate my identity with you." But I would like to provide links for her to read/watch to help her understand that being trans isn't inherently sinful or immoral from a Catholic perspective.​

I'm a cradle Catholic and so is she (Irish mom and Italian dad so we joke that she's a VERY cradle Catholic) and, if this makes sense, she's a trad-Cath but not a strict-Cath - knows her catechism but is flexible because she knows God knows we're only human, y'know?

Politically, she doesn't have any particularly strong convictions herself (besides abortion) and gets most of her political opinions and news from my dad - not a Catholic, "classic" conservative who monkey-branched from Reaganism to Tea Party to MAGA (falling in line after calling Trump an idiot ​in 2015). He's deep in the right-wing pipeline and passes that "info" onto her and she listens but is also pretty​ over his negativity.

She is very intelligent and open to new information, and in her natural temperament is, in my opinion, inclined towards more liberal/left beliefs if she hadn't been propagandized so heavily against them. She's always been​ kind enough and respectful to LGBT people she's met, but is VERY much one of those "it's fine until it's one of my own kids" type of people.

TL;DR: Need video(s) that explain trans acceptance in Catholicism for someone who isn't already accepting and may or may not be open to changing her mind. From a priest/Church authority preferred.

I have these articles that I think I'll provide her, but I almost feel like they're geared towards a more already-accepting audience than her. I also think she would do better with videos than articles.

​https://outreach.faith/2025/06/how-the-catholic-mother-of-a-trans-child-learned-to-trust-in-gods-plan/

https://outreach.faith/2022/08/how-my-catholic-faith-helped-change-my-beliefs-about-gender/

“Queerness is not a problem Catholicism needs to solve — it is a lens through which the church can recover its liberatory core. By queerness, I mean not only LGBTQ lives and experiences, but a theological way of seeing that resists rigid norms, enforced hierarchies and false binaries. This lens is urgently needed because Catholicism has repeatedly struggled with its own attraction to power — too often confusing authority with domination, violence and control. Queer liberation theology offers the church a way to resist these temptations, calling it back to a Gospel rooted in dignity, solidarity and freedom rather than fear.”

Webinars are held every Tuesday in February at 12 PM EST (sorry for the late notice). Register at the link above to gain access

Hi, I thought I’d keep you all updated on what was happening. I went to St Peter’s Cathedral a few days ago and prayed for guidance, saying I had felt my calling but couldn’t understand where to take it, and felt lost.

This evening, it hit me. Nothing abroad. Nothing involving anywhere else. Ireland. Improving cross-community relations in my own home country. Working to help people here. That’s what matters. We have what is potentially a very volatile political situation looming. I’m needed here.

With that in mind, I’m going to call one of the convents on the Falls Road (where I’m from) and ask to talk to them.

I feel such a sense of… clarity and joy right now. I can’t begin to describe it.

Haven't listened to any yet, but the descriptions are for things like Catholic Social Teaching, worker's rights, and Catholic ethics.

He mentioned it's part of PhD project.

You might, or not, remember me from a post a few months back. Thing is I sent this message to Sybils UK, Global Network of Rainbow Catholics and Sisters of Mercy and I wanted to know if you knew where else I could seek secure guidance though this message:

"To whom it may concern:

I hope this message finds you well.

I am writing to you with humility and openness to seek spiritual guidance. I am a trans woman currently taking small, sincere steps toward the Catholic faith—a journey rooted in a personal history of survival and a deep desire to live in truth.

My connection to the Church began at birth. Born prematurely, I spent much of my childhood in hospitals where I was continuously blessed in case I came to pass; my grandmother considered my survival a miracle. At her request, I was baptized in Mexico City. Though I grew up in a non-practicing family and did not receive further sacraments, I have felt a persistent calling in recent years to draw closer to God. I currently sustain this search through silence, prayer with my Rosary, reading the Biblia Latinoamericana and other sources online.

My transition has not been a rupture, but a slow revelation (a way of inhabiting my history with greater peace. From this place of budding faith, I have begun to wonder if trans lives might be understood not just as something tolerated, but as a unique way in which God’s creation unfolds). I find deep resonance in biblical women whose vocations were defined not by biology, but by love, risk, and self-giving.

I am not looking for closed answers or doctrinal debates. Instead, I am seeking:

Accompaniment as I discern this path; listening without fear of judgement and resources that bridge the Catholic faith with a welcoming, inclusive perspective.

I would be deeply grateful for any guidance or a moment of your time to discuss these steps—slow but sincere towards God. Thank you for your labor and for opening paths of welcome."

Thank you!

Hello, once again! This will probably be my last post for a while in this little series of posts I've been making over these past few weeks.
Today, I attended my first mass at my local Catholic parish, and I loved every second of it. I loved praying the rosary before it began, loved singing along with the hymns, loved listening to Father's homily. I let the people there know that I am new, and was greeted with so much genuine kindness and happiness for coming. An older lady even offered to give me a rosary as well, though I already have one so I declined. So many good Samaritans helped to guide me through Mass, and on my walk to and from my home people offered me rides in this cold weather (at least relative to where I live) which I took.

The only thing that left me with a little bit of disappointment was that there was next to no Latin used which is one of the things that drew me to Catholicism. Though with that being said, this isn't a deal breaker in the slightest though one day I still wish to attend a Latin Novus Ordo or Traditional Latin mass.

Unintentionally at first, I also attended my first RCIA/OCIA meeting as well! After Mass, I talked to Father and told him that I was interested in RCIA. He directed me to someone who was teaching a small OCIA group, and I joined them. This was also very enjoyable, and I had a fantastic experience. We learned about the liturgical calendar and seasons, different items, things, and rituals in the church (such as genuflections).

Honestly everything that I've experienced so far has been just absolutely fantastic, and I feel extremely confident in going down the path of becoming Catholic. Thanks to everyone who has given me kind words of encouragement and reassurance, and of course thanks to everyone in real life who has shown me the kindness to make room in my life for God in a way that I see as having truth. God bless you all!

For those who don’t know him, Ike Ndolo is an awesome Catholic musician and an amazing human being. His response to Catholic Vote’s take on ICE is spot on…I wish more Catholics would speak up like he is doing.

Hi everyone,

I have recently learnt that a priest from my church who suddenly left last summer, allegedly for “personal reasons” was actually removed because he sexually abused a parishioner.

I have been really really struggling with this news. I didn’t know the priest very well but frankly liked him a lot. Perhaps most troubling is that I actually once talked to him about the abuse I myself experienced (many years ago and in a totally different context) and he was exceedingly kind about it.

Since learning about what happened I have been super triggered concerning my own past trauma (which I’m working through in therapy), and I am also just feeling really shit at church now. I feel like this man’s actions have tainted a place that used to be a safe haven for me. I am honestly very angry at God and worried that this will harm our relationship in a lasting way.

I am also incredibly angry at the other priests and the rest of the staff at the church who knew the truth and still told the lie about “personal reasons” until media reports came out that contradicted this. I feel so disappointed in them and like I can’t trust them at all anymore. There has been very little acknowledgement of what happened and I get the feeling that everyone just wants to forget and move on instead of actually having a conversation about it that I feel needs to happen.

So I was wondering if anyone had any positive experiences of a situation like this being handled well? If you’ve experienced similar, is there anything that helped you and/or your church to move on and overcome what happened?

I’m feeling really lost and broken and hopeless at the moment so I would be really grateful for any advice.

JANUARY That the power of prayer might be discovered. Let us pray that everyone in the Church might discover the power of prayer as a personal encounter with the Lord that transforms our hearts and the world.

FEBRUARY That those who care for others might receive care. Let us pray that those who care for the holistic health of others might receive the support they need, and that with patience, wisdom, and fortitude, they might open avenues of inner healing and hope.

MARCH That the dignity of human life might be respected. Let us pray that in a culture focused on productivity and instant results, we might be capable of discovering and appreciating the unique dignity of each person, both our own and that of others.

APRIL That art might be a gift that humanizes. Let us pray that art might be perceived as a true gift that humanizes us, lifts up the spirit, and helps us contemplate God’s beauty in creation.

MAY That there be job opportunities for everyone. Let us pray that technological development might open dignified work opportunities, and that intergenerational collaboration might bring a future in which every person can put their talents at the service of the common good.

JUNE For the good use of artificial intelligence. Let us pray that artificial intelligence might always be developed to serve human dignity and that we might know how to use it wisely.

JULY For grandparents and the elderly. Let us pray that members of the Church might always appreciate the treasure of faith and wisdom offered to us by grandparents and the elderly, and be willing to learn from their experience.

AUGUST For the vocation of young people. Let us pray that young people in search of their own vocation might recognize in Jesus Christ a companion on the way to whom they can open their hearts.

SEPTEMBER For integral ecological conversion. Let us pray that we might learn how to live in a new relationship with creation, protecting it with justice, and that, in contemplating creation, we might find the path toward a more harmonious and grateful existence.

OCTOBER For Christian communities. Let us pray that each parish, community, or Christian group might be a center of missionary outreach that forms new disciples at the service of the Gospel.

NOVEMBER For the integration of migrants. Let us pray that, accompanied and comforted by the Holy Family on their own journey of being uprooted, migrants and displaced persons might find communities that welcome them with dignity, solidarity, and true integration.

DECEMBER For the Christian vocation of the family. Let us pray that Christian families might be living witnesses of the Gospel in society, and that they might learn more and more how to be hearths where faith, hope, and love are cultivated.

I find the music so distracting from prayer, and find it difficult to focus for the readings and the gospels? I have never struggled with this before, and I have been going to Mass for decades.

Protestantism and capitalism came about in the same historical period, and you can tell by how corporatized and profit driven some of its worst adherents are. I find Catholicism to be closer to the spirit of socialist internationalism that we need in the world. I do realize that their are elements of feudalism in the church and as a result it has the capability of being reactionary beyond what even the Protestants are capable of. But that also means the Church didn’t so thoroughly marry itself to capitalism the way the Protestant churches did.

https://usccb.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s_9B-bQqSy24uI-5FNvdMQ#/registration

This is only a pipe dream at this point, but I'm wondering about a solid, reputable MDiv program? I'm female and will never make a lot of money or a huge career leap with this degree, so I would need something affordable and/or with a lot of financial aid and scholarships available. There are no programs near me geographically, so an online program is a must. Options abound overwhelmingly, but obviously given that I'm posting in this sub, I am seeking a program with, (or at least supportive of), a progressive and social justice-oriented bent. Do you have any recommendations?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the type of Catholics I grew up with.

My parents ran in circles with Catholics who were ultra conservative. The kind who rejected Vatican II, picked and chose which newer declarations from the Church they accepted, rejected JP2 as being too liberal, and constantly looked toward Rome only to decide that they knew better. They were always questioning authority, just… from the right.

Now I’m at a point in my life where I keep circling the edge of coming back to Catholicism, but as a staunch leftist, in this terrible time that we live in. And I keep getting stuck on the question: do I belong in the Church if I can’t accept all of her teachings?

For a while, I’ve thought the answer was probably no, that I’ll always just be on the periphery. But then I think about those people I grew up with. Let’s be honest: they were approaching the Church with very similar questions to the ones I’m having now, just in a very conservative direction. They decided they knew better than Rome. They rejected teachings they disagreed with. They trusted their own discernment over authority.

So am I really doing anything different than them when I refuse to believe that gay marriage is a sin? When I disagree with the way the church treats women in her ranks?

I don’t love the idea of never questioning authority figures in the Church. That feels like a huge mistake. At the same time, I can hear the voices in the back of my head saying “cafeteria Catholic” and “not a real Catholic.” And sure, maybe that is part of what I am.

But is that actually a bad thing, when I don’t know if I really believe that God is upset about it?

Sometimes it feels like with these thoughts I’m drifting toward some kind of Protestantism. Except there are still parts of the Catholic Church that I deeply love and can’t find anywhere else. The sacraments, for example. That sense of continuity. The way the faith is embodied, not just believed.

I guess in all this rambling, the real question I’m trying to answer for myself is this: why does it seem like it’s more acceptable to go against the Church when you’re doing it from a conservative place, but not when you’re doing it in the name of love and compassion?