Shows
The Department of NuanceEp 11: Diverse Bodies and Catholic Sexual EthicsJune is Pride month, which often invites extra attention and conversation in the Catholic Church about the Church's official teaching on matters of sexuality and gender.While the areas of LGBTQ+ Catholic study and ministry have expanded over the decades, the Church’s teaching has remained relatively consistent: That only those sexual acts that are both unitive and procreative, between one man and one woman, are rightly ordered. Discussions of these topics still often center what is believed to be "natural,” but contemporary science and social progression reveal to us more and more how physical bodies and gend...2025-06-1250 min
Whiplash with Maxwell KuzmaWhat Religious Trauma Looks Like for LGBTQ CatholicsWhen Teresa Thompson sat down with Emma and me, we talked about religious trauma, global perspectives on Catholicism, and how queer people survive in systems not built for us. Teresa encourages us to see healing not only as repair but as a reclamation of our stories and our faith. Together, we explore the weight of trauma without losing sight of joy, community, and the liberating power of spirituality remade on our own terms.Teresa Thompson is a New York-based psychotherapist specializing in religious trauma and a Bernardin Scholar at Catholic Theological Union (where Pope Leo XIV studied...2025-05-2556 min
The Department of NuanceEp 8: Civil Disobedience and Nonviolent ResistanceWe've seen some frightening things in the news recently, particularly here in the United States. Many people are asking themselves, "What do I do? How can I respond? What strategies are most effective?"In times of hopelessness, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that only violence adequately responds to violence, and it can be hard to differentiate nonviolent activism from careless passivity.Just as easily, we can get complacent. It behooves us all to think critically about the differences between legality and justice.In Episode 8 of the Department...2025-04-0252 min