Outreach 2024

Building Community for LGBTQ Catholics
Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., August 2-4

Keynotes and Masses

Mark Bosco, S.J., Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry at Georgetown University, delivered a keynote address exploring the role of grace in Flannery O’Connor’s writing and what her short story “A Temple of the Holy Ghost” says to LGBTQ people today.

His Eminence Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington, celebrated Mass inside Dahlgren Chapel, on Sat., Aug. 3. In his homily, Cardinal Gregory urged participants to strive for unity, in the church and the world.

James Martin, S.J., founder of Outreach, celebrated Mass inside Dahlgren Chapel, on Sun., Aug. 4. In his homily, Father Martin explored the ways that Jesus can help people who feel frustrated with the church.

Amy-Jill Levine, P.h.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, explains how to handle the “clobber passages” in the Old and New Testaments.

Father William Hart McNichols, renowned iconographer and author of All My Eyes See, delivers a talk about his art and LGBTQ spirituality.

Outreach founder James Martin, S.J., in dialogue with National Catholic Reporter Vatican Correspondent Christopher White. The pair discuss recent news from the Vatican related to LGBTQ issues.

Outreach 2024 Sponors

Schedule

The Outreach conference featured three keynote addresses, several timely and compelling panels, multiple opportunities for worship as well as time for community building.

Speakers, panelists, and worship leaders included:

  • Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington
  • Mark Bosco, S.J., Ph.D., Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Georgetown University
  • Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace
  • Rev. William Hart McNichols, renowned iconographer and artist
  • James Martin, SJ, founder of Outreach and editor-at-large of America

 

Panels at Outreach 2024:

  • LGBTQ Ministry in Parishes
  • Telling LGBTQ Catholic Stories
  • The Bible and Homosexuality
  • LGBTQ Ministry in Higher Education
  • Transgender Catholics and the Church
  • Race, Intersectionality and LGBTQ People
  • Parenting LGTBQ Children
  • Catholic LGBTQ Women and the Church
  • Gifts of a Life of Chastity
  • Outreach Outlook from Rome
  • “Preach” Roundtable Discussion

Friday, Aug. 2

 

5:15pm Opening Celebration and Prayer Service
Welcome Address: Mark Bosco, S.J., Ph.D., Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Georgetown University

6:30pm Cocktails and Seated Dinner

8:30pm Casual Social Hour

9:30pm Prayer in the Evening

Saturday, Aug. 3

 

7:30am Breakfast

9:00am Mass, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, presider

10:45am Panel Block One

LGBTQ Ministry in Parishes
-Ivan Briggiler, LGBTQ ministry, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, New York City
-Bill Chapman, Co-chair, Catholic Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Persons, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
-Alexandra Sybo, Communications Coordinator, Holy Trinity Parish LGBTQIAA+ Ministry, Washington
-Rev. Michael Trail, Pastor, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Chicago
-Moderator: Christine Zuba, Chair of Transgender Ministry, Fortunate Families

Telling LGBTQ Catholic Stories
-Simon Kent Fung, Host of the “Dear Alana” podcast
-Greg Krajewski, Catholic video producer
-Yunuen Trujillo, Catholic Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Persons, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
-Moderator: Michael J. O’Loughlin

The Bible and Homosexuality
-Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace
-Jaime L. Waters, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Old Testament, Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry
-Moderator: James Martin, S.J.

12:15pm Lunch

1:30pm Panel Block Two

Transgender Catholics and the Church
-Craig A. Ford, Jr., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, St. Norbert College
-Maxwell Kuzma, Transgender Catholic Writer
-Maureen Rasmussen, Senior Strategic Advisor, Chesapeake Lighting
-Moderator: Katie Collins Scott, Staff Reporter, National Catholic Reporter

Race, Intersectionality and LGBTQ People
-Paulo Pontemayor, Health Policy and Government Relations Professional
-Ish Ruiz, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow of Catholic Studies, Candler School of Theology
-Yunuen Trujillo
-Moderator: Rev. Michael Trail

Parenting LGBTQ Children
-Paul and Jennifer Smith, Parents of a Transgender Child
-Ivan Briggiler
-Moderator: Ryan Di Corpo, Managing Editor, Outreach

LGBTQ Ministry in Catholic Higher Education
-Jack Consolie, M.Div. Student, University of Notre Dame
-Riley Jelenick, Associate Director, LGBTQ Resource Center, Georgetown University
-Sabina Marroquin, Campus Minister, University of Dayton
-Dennis Holtschneider, C.M., Former President, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities

3:15pm Panel Block Three

Catholic LGBTQ Women and the Church
-Meli Barber, President, DignityUSA
-Rebecca Brown, Author, The Gifts of the Body
-Sabina Marroquin
-Moderator: Michelle Loris, Ph.D., Psy.D., Director, Center for Catholic Studies, Sacred Heart University

Gifts of a Life of Chastity
-Nate Tinner-Williams, Co-Founder and Editor, Black Catholic Messenger Steve Yoder, Lawyer and LGBTQ minister
-Celeste Mokrzycki, S.S.J., Chaplain of the School of Nursing and the School of Health, Georgetown University
-Moderator: Brian Flanagan, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, New Ways Ministry

Preaching for the LGBTQ Community
-Carly Reidy, administrator and cantor, St Veronica Parish, Burlington, Mass.
-Ish Ruiz, Ph.D., assistant professor of Latinx and Queer Decolonial Theology at the Pacific School of Religion
-Jim Scholl, liturgy commission, St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 
-Moderator: Ricardo da Silva, S.J., host of “Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast”

4:45pm Keynote Address: Father William Hart McNichols, author and iconographer

6:15pm Cocktail Reception

7:30pm Dinner on Own

 

Sunday, Aug. 4

 

8:00am Mass, James Martin, SJ, presider

9:15am Brunch

10:15am Keynote Address: Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace

11:45am Outreach Outlook from Rome

12:45pm Sending Forth

1:00pm Outreach 2024 Concludes