March 18
Co-presented by Outreach and the National Catholic Reporter
Prayer Leader: Father James Martin, S.J.
Voice one: John Kyler
Voice two: Alison Aquinas
Prayer facilitator: Conor Reidy
Prayer guide: Search Me: A Way of the Cross in Solidarity with the LGBTQ Community
John Kyler, author; Clear Faith Publishing (2021)
Song: Take Up Our Cross
Curtis Stephan, Sarah Hart, Marc Byrd
© 2026, OCP. All rights reserved.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #924526-S
Newsletter: Stay connected with Outreach by subscribing to its weekly newsletter, featuring reflections, resources, and stories from across the LGBTQ Catholic community. You can sign up here.
James Martin, S.J.:
James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, the editor at large at America Media, and founder of Outreach. He is also a consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication and a member of the Synod of Bishops. Father Martin is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and Learning to Pray. His most recent book is Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus’s Greatest Miracle. His book Building a Bridge, about LGBTQ Catholics, has been translated into nine languages. His most recent book is Work in Progress.
John Kyler:
John T. Kyler is an author, composer, educator, and speaker whose work focuses on the intersection of liturgy, justice, and healthy vulnerability in pastoral ministry. In addition to experience working in parish faith formation and high school and collegiate campus ministry, John is an instructor in the Emmaus Institute for Ministry Formation and a contributor to several pastoral magazines and journals, including Encyclopedia Britannica, U.S. Catholic, and GIA Quarterly. John holds a Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Theological Studies from Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary.
Conor Reidy:
Conor Reidy serves as Executive Director of Outreach, the LGBTQ Catholic ministry rooted in celebrating and elevating the Catholic LGBTQ experience.
Before joining Outreach, Conor served as Director of Mission and Ministry at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, where he led campus ministry, service initiatives and programs connecting faith with justice. Earlier, he spent a decade in campus ministry at Manhattan College, accompanying students in their spiritual and personal formation
A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, where he studied religious studies and art history, Conor also holds a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Rutgers University–Camden. His work is shaped by Ignatian spirituality and a deep commitment to the Church’s call to welcome.
Alison Aquinas:
Raised in a deeply Baptist home, Alison was formed by a faith centered on Scripture, personal evangelism, and sharing the Gospel with others, even as a young teacher of backyard Bible clubs. Her journey eventually led her to the Catholic Church, where she was received in 2007 after years of prayer and discernment. When she came out as transgender in 2021, she experienced a season of spiritual struggle, but through the welcome she found at Fortunate & Faithful Families and the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, her faith was renewed. She now advocates openly for LGBT inclusion in the Church and serves as an OCIA instructor, accompanying converts and other seekers with compassion, honesty, and hope.
About Outreach:
Outreach is an LGBTQ Catholic ministry under the auspices of America Media, a Jesuit apostolate. We offer news, essays, resources, and community for LGBTQ Catholics and those who minister with them in the Catholic Church worldwide. Outreach also highlights welcoming parishes, schools, and other Catholic organizations.
The National Catholic Reporter:
Founded in 1964, the National Catholic Reporter is a nonprofit, independent publication, guided by a dedicated lay-led staff and board of directors. With foundational principles that are rooted in Catholic social teaching, NCR connects Catholics to church, faith, and the common good with independent news, analysis, and spiritual reflection.
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