Chris Damian
@cdamianwrites
JD, CSMA. I write on Catholicism, (homo)sexuality, race, creativity. Occasionally mistaken for a theologian (which I am not). Corporate attorney on the side.
LGBTQ+/SSA ministries in the Church are rife with sexually explicit content. For a lot of younger people, these spaces can be the first time they’re exposed to things like “cruising.” We explore this and more in the Mezzo episode: Bizarre Things My Conversion Therapist Told Me to Do
Like many of my followers, I’ve had to grapple with experiences of sexual violence in the Church. How do we heal and move forward? I explore this and more in the Mezzo episode: Betrayed by Catholic Studies
Religious fundamentalism drives a deep fear of the other. It leads to dysregulation and makes for weird interactions. But these are all things we can work through… We discuss this and much more in the Mezzo episode: From Youth Ministry to Mental Health
When certain Catholics write about spirituality, they can get really sexual in really weird ways… We discuss this and much more in the Mezzo episode: Catholics discuss the Supreme Court's decision on conversion therapy
Various forms of conversion therapy, promoted by leaders such as Bob Schuchts, are prevalent throughout the Church. With this prevalence frequently comes a rejection of key Christian theological teachings. More in the Mezzo episode: The Complete History of Conversion Therapy in the Catholic Church
The next frontier of AI disclosures: having to ask people you’re dating how they use AI in relationships…
As I spoke with Rachel Davis about her Jewish upbringing, we were able to see how the situation in the US today is very different from Nazi Germany. But there are many similarities... You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: A Catholic Interviews an Immigration Attorney
When Shannon, Patty, and Colleen first got involved with Blessed is She, they found a widespread hunger for Christian ministry for and by women. But then things changed over time… You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: How a Catholic ministry betrayed its own leaders
When supporting others, especially as Christians, we can be tempted to try to save them. But if we really want to help, we need to choose humility instead. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Why So Many Women Don’t Believe Women
Want to do something subversive in the age of AI? Read a book this year.
Eros has always been filled with anxieties across the western philosophical tradition. Christianity encourages a creative pathway, not against eros, but through it. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Does Catholicism really forbid LGBT people from falling in love?
In his book Made for Love, you’ll find two books by Ignatius Press that Father Mike Schmitz recommends. One is a conversion therapy guide. The other is by a former Courage speaker who disappeared from the spotlight after being accused of a multi-year sexual predatory relationship with a child…
Our president has done what he can to fill our 250th anniversary with kitsch, dysfunction, and lies. But we don’t have to be stuck in them. A little skiing lesson helps show us where to focus.
The Statue of Liberty was erected to commemorate the centennial of the founding of the United States of America. And the poem chosen for her pedestal reminds us of what truly makes America great. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: My grandfather was an “illegal immigrant”
In his conversation with Kim Zember, Father Mike Schmitz’s attempt to answer whether you can identify as gay and Catholic was a word salad with all the toppings, where initially he didn’t even answer the question. And that should tell us something.
In his conversation with Kim Zember on Catholicism and homosexuality, Father Mike Schmitz shows how he’s not just more Catholic than the pope. He’s actually more Catholic than five popes!
Various Vatican documents have been critical of trans identities. But they don’t seem to understand actual trans people. So trans Catholics can just ignore a lot of what they have to say… You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Why Catholic arguments against transgender people don’t work
In their discussion on Catholicism and homosexuality, Father Mike Schmitz and Kim Zember take some time to compare eating disorders to being gay…
Shannon names two key events as catalysts for her journey to self-trust and a deepening relationship with Mary: institutional betrayal and an unexpected pregnancy. You can watch our full discussion on the Mezzo episode: How a Catholic ministry betrayed its own leaders
Did you catch how, in their video for the “Here I Am Stories” series, Father Mike Schmitz and Kim Zember engaged in spiritual abuse in the form of abuse of conscience?
If you’re getting trolled by a homophobe, might I recommend this response that both got rid of the troll and also raised money for a good cause? lol
You’ve probably heard of the 2005 Vatican document “banning homosexual seminarians.” But how authoritative is that document? I explore this and much more with canon lawyer Dan Quinan in the Mezzo episode: Can gay men be ordained Catholic priests?
I’m trying to think through why so many Catholic apologists, in their efforts to get Church teaching right, often get it so wrong when applied to real lives. I think it’s because they have a narrow view of moral reasoning, one which leaves them susceptible to being replaceable by AI.
Should Catholic seminaries admit gay men? I explore this question and more through a canonical lens in the latest Mezzo episode with Dan Quinan! Out now!
Why do Christian communities struggle so much to listen to suffering?
The Catholic Church teaches that wealthy people who withhold from the poor are *literally* stealing from them. Just fyi.
Augustine and Aquinas are famous for viewing women… in not the highest light. But is this all the Church has to say about marriage, friendship, and the creation of woman? You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: What ‘Traditional Marriage’ Actually Meant
According to the Catechism, chastity requires… a living wage? Find out more in the Mezzo episode: What Catholics get wrong about chastity
