Perspectives
Articles, essays, and reflections from progressive Catholic voices.
To contribute to Perspectives or submit an article, contact cta@cta-usa.org.
Liturgy of Affirmation: The Substance of Our Lives Nourishes Our Communities
In this testimony for our Liturgy of Affirmation, Tess Thompson of Call To Action Metro New York discusses how the “substance of a lifetime” can be used to bridge generational gaps and create wisdom and understanding within a community.
From Acorn to Oak
For the Third Sunday of Advent, Cait Gardiner reflects on their journey of coming out as a non-binary Catholic and how fellow non-binary and Queer Catholics provided them with the strength and righteousness of the “oak.” This reflection is a collaboration with DignityUSA’s Breath of the Spirit series.
First Sunday of Advent: Queer Reassurance and Diligent Waiting
For the first Sunday of Advent, Sam Barnes reflects on God’s invitation to invite all to the table. How do we prepare for Advent as members of the LGBTQIA+ community? What does it mean to share the table with those who say we aren’t holy enough to be Catholic? This reflection is a collaboration with DignityUSA’s Breath of the Spirit series.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Belongs to Queer People, Too
When artist Dani of @andhersaints posted her illustration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus online, she wasn’t prepared for the blowback. Dani writes how the Sacred Heart can also be a queer icon that provides her and others with solace and peace. “Queer lives are holy and sacred,” she writes. “This is the message of Pride.”
Don’t Cling to Hatred. Live with Compassion.
CTA member Tiffani Castro reflects on the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and encourages Catholics to remember the teachings of Jesus. “I won’t have my faith and my values…be twisted, manipulated, and used for hatred and evil,” she writes.
The Power of Showing Up
How can DignityUSA pilgrims raise awareness, challenge the institution, and share in the sacraments at World Youth Day 2023? Pilgrims Audrey Carroll, Brian Frank, and Cait Gardiner discuss what it means to be church as a member or ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
From the archive: You, me, and Sarah Augustine
On March 30, 2023, the Vatican repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery, a set of legal principles that validated European Christian settlers’ sovereignty over the Americas. In this piece from our archive, New York-based writer and therapist Tess Thompson reflects on spending Lent 2022 reading Sarah Augustine’s book The Land is Not Empty, which unpacks the Doctrine of Discovery and its impact on Indigenous cultures.
Our Church is Out of Time
CTA member Joseph Ramelo on disavowing capitalism and exploitation from our way of being church.
Surveillance, Suspicion, Criminalization: The Dangers of Post-Roe America
Lauren Barbato: "We haven’t been ushered into an era free from abortion, but an era of increasing, unrestrained suspicion, surveillance, and criminalization of pregnant people. How far will we, as Catholics, allow the pro-life movement to continue down this road?"
Intergenerational and cross-class organizing
The average person from the "baby boomer" generation has over ten times the wealth of the average millennial.