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A gay, lapsed Catholic on loving Pope Francis

A gay, lapsed Catholic on loving Pope Francis

Pope Francis met with Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday and then died. I'm not saying these things are related; I'm simply relaying the chain of events.
Although the timing lent an additional element of cinema to the inherently dramatic event of a pope's death, the news could hardly be called a surprise. Headlines about the late pontiff's deteriorating health had been making the rounds, and anyway, given the criteria for the position, a papal passing is never too far-fetched.
I've had plenty of time, then, to think about how I'd react to this moment. And yet, now that it's here, my feelings aren't what I expected. I guess I thought they'd be more mixed. Instead, I'm experiencing a simple, straightforward admiration for Pope Francis that I don't think I've ever felt for a world leader; as well as sadness for the loss of such a man, at a time when the very concept of principled leadership feels like it's on its deathbed.
Like many lapsed Catholics, my relationship to the Church is complicated. I understood from an early age that I'd been born into one of the more intricate religions. I'd only completed one of the seven sacraments (baptism, the freebie) when I realized that, in most Christian denominations in Oklahoma, you could waltz right into a service held in a former furniture store or warehouse and say, 'I go here now,' and that was more or less that. Our ceremonies, meanwhile, were held in ornate buildings featuring marble and spires and headed up by men in robes, not a youth pastor with frosted tips and cargo shorts. I'm not saying our way was better, only that it would be substantially more difficult to make 'The Da Vinci Code' out of, say, Methodism.
Yet I don't have too many nice things to say about the Catholic Church outside of the aesthetics, which are an unambiguous slay. The institution has a lot of baggage, as any organization with nearly two millennia and a few crusades under its cincture is bound to have. Earnestly defending it is the province of clergy or parishioners who take the whole thing much too seriously (read: converts). To that end, it's de rigueur for progressives to do a great deal of throat clearing before saying anything nice about it. To praise even its music or its famous artworks often comes with a massive, Spanish Inquisition-sized asterisk. Fair enough. As a practicing homosexual who supports abortion rights, I don't think the Church is counting on me to be its champion at drag brunch.
Complexity is baked into the institution, and even before I left the faith, I had complicated thoughts and feelings about it. Complexity, whether it takes the form of the Church's titles or its long history or its meticulous rites, is what distinguishes it as a religion in my experience. It's also what makes my feelings about Pope Francis' death remarkable to me, in that they're incredibly uncomplicated.
I considered just saying that my feelings were complicated anyway, but this would have been a lie, and lying makes me feel terribly guilty (I am one of St. Mary's Catholic School's more successful psychological experiments). So, here's my confession, Father: I'm a Pope Francis fan, and I wish we had more leaders like him.
Sure, one could argue that he benefits from the bar being set so low. His predecessor sort of looked like Palpatine in Prada shoes, and his contemporary detractors are perhaps best typified by verified X accounts with Knights Templar profile pictures making threads about how 'DEI killed Christ.' Certainly, not all his critics are so unhinged, and there are many things I personally disagreed with him on, but he always reminded me of the very best of Catholicism. It's been many years, but before Catholicism became a trend among reactionary podcast hosts, I knew it as the faith that taught me that the meek would inherit the earth, that it was immoral to be wealthy while others starved and that we ought to follow in the footsteps of a man who said, 'All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all those who humble themselves will be exalted.'
Right up to his last breath, Francis advocated for the powerless, for those who have so little and yet are villainized by people in positions of authority. 'How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants!' he said in his Easter address, shortly before his death. 'On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas.'
This plea stands in stark contrast to our authoritarian milieu in the United States, which is defined by active contempt for the weak. It increasingly seems like our world is dominated by two types of leaders: those guided by gleeful, vindictive spite, and those guided by wherever the wind happens to be blowing that day. It's a match made in hell, and hell is exactly what awaits us if we continue to permit abuses against people who we're told are acceptable targets. It's no surprise that those profiting off of such scaremongering have dismissed Francis as 'the woke pope.' There's a vested interest in euphemizing and dismissing kindness itself. What we need, I believe, are people willing to defend kindness without any caveats, people willing to stand up for the weak even if the weak can give nothing in return, because it's the right thing to do. In this way, I hope the life of Pope Francis serves as an inspiration.
What I'll remember about Pope Francis is his unflagging support for migrants and refugees. I'll remember the compassion he showed LGBTQ+ people, a stance that, while imperfect, was radical for the Church. I'll remember that he was one of the very few major figures in the West to call for a ceasefire in Gaza — leave it to the Democratic Party to be outflanked on its left by a medieval institution, I guess. I'll remember that he once said, 'I like to think of hell as empty.'
We can never truly know what's really in someone's heart, of course, and no one is perfect. But I do believe our world would be a better place if it was being run by people who see themselves not as kings but as servants. Despite it all, I do think such a world is possible. It's a simple matter of faith, I suppose.

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Christian Music Star Michael Tait Confesses to Unwanted Sexual Advances on Men and Cocaine Use: ‘I Was Living Two Distinctly Different Lives'
Christian Music Star Michael Tait Confesses to Unwanted Sexual Advances on Men and Cocaine Use: ‘I Was Living Two Distinctly Different Lives'

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Christian Music Star Michael Tait Confesses to Unwanted Sexual Advances on Men and Cocaine Use: ‘I Was Living Two Distinctly Different Lives'

Michael Tait, who became a Grammy-winning star in the Christian music world as a member of DC Talk in the '90s, and continued that hit streak in recent years with a long stint as lead singer for the group Newsboys, has issued a 'confession' on social media in which he admits that allegations of unwanted groping of young men and drug use contained in a recent investigative report were largely true. 'Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true,' Tait wrote in a post on his Instagram account. 'For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it — sin. I don't blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them… 'I'm ashamed to admit that for years I have lied and deceived my family, friends, fans, and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life,' Tait continued. I' was, for the most part, living two distinctly different lives. I was not the same person on stage Sunday night that I was at home on Monday. I was violating everything I was raised to believe by my God-fearing Dad and Mom, about walking with Jesus and was grieving the very God I loved and sang about for most of my life.' Tait abruptly quit Newsboys in January, setting off a round of speculation about what went down that escalated over the past five months. His former band has tried to soldier on with a replacement singer for a new album and tour, while some fans balked at the prospect of concert dates proceedinn without Tate, asking questions about the abrupt departure of a singer who'd been the face of the veteran group for the last 16 years. The mystery came into clearer focus on June 4 when a Christian site that publishes investigative stories, the Roys Report, published a lengthy article about what it called 'Nashville's worst-kept secret,' saying that a two-and-a-half-year investigation involving interviews with more than 50 sources showed a pattern of 'predatory grooming' as well as drug abuse on Tait's part. The day after the Roys Report story exploded through the Christian music world, Newsboys issued a statement on the band's Instagram, writing: 'When he left the band in January, Michael confessed to us and our management that he 'had been living a double-life' but we never imagined that it could be this bad.' The remaining group members said they had not heard from Tait about the exact allegations, but wrote that 'our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions… First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.' Adam Agee, a band member who stepped into the lead singer role, wrote separately on Facebook that the group members 'heard rumors over the years,' but that 'each time something came up we tried to find the source and no one would tell us.' In his Instagram statement, Tait said that he had entered treatment following his exit from Newsboys and was now clean and sober. 'When I abruptly left Newsboys in January I did so to get help,' he wrote. 'I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life. 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On Monday, K-LOVE, the nation's biggest Christian radio chain with 400 stations in 48 states, announced that it was putting a pause on airplay for all releases from Newsboys (including, apparently, records the band put out before and after Tait's tenure) and DC Talk. 'We are aware of the allegations against Michael Tait, former frontman of the Newsboys,' a K-LOVE rep was quoted told the Roys Report. 'As the investigation proceeds, our prayers are with all those involved. In the meantime, our programming team is resting Newsboys and DC Talk music on our stream.' A handful of other Christian stations had preceded K-LOVE in pulling music by the two groups. Newboys recently publicly traded blame with a promoter about the cancellation of a Canadian tour, with the group claiming the promoter was in over its head and the company that canceled the outing indicating in return that ticket sales were suffering after Tait's sudden exit. A U.S. tour was still on the books for summer as of Tuesday, with fans online offering mixed responses about whether they were eager to see the group continue with another member of the band taking over lead vocals or not. Representatives for the band and Tait could not be reached for comment. DC Talk was one of the most popular acts in the history of CCM (contemporary Christian music), as the genre is often called. The hip-hop-inflected pop group's most popular album, 1995's 'Jesus Freak,' was certified triple-platinum and spent 79 weeks on the Billboard 200. The trio officially went on hiatus in 2001, with Tait, Kevin Max and Toby Mac all moving on to successful careers apart from one another. Newboys had a record of decades of success before Tait joined. With Peter Furler as their original lead singer, they formed in Australia in the mid-'80s and moved to Nashville in the early '90s. Furler left the group and was replaced by Tait in 2009. With their new singer bringing over much of the DC Talk fan base, Newsboys managed to have four No. 1 albums on the Christian charts during his tenure. The group was featured in the evangelistic theatrical drama 'God's Not Dead,' named after their 2011 hit album. The complete text of Tait's statement on Instagram follows: 'Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true. For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it-sin. I don't blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them. 'When I abruptly left Newsboys in January I did so to get help. I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life. I spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah, receiving help that may have saved my life from ultimate destruction. I have been clean and sober since, though I still have lots of hard work ahead of me. 'I'm ashamed to admit that for years I have lied and deceived my family, friends, fans, and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life. I was, for the most part, living two distinctly different lives. I was not the same person on stage Sunday night that I was at home on Monday. I was violating everything I was raised to believe by my God-fearing Dad and Mom, about walking with Jesus and was grieving the very God I loved and sang about for most of my life. By His grace, I can say that for the past six months, I have lived a singular life-one of utter brokenness and total dependance on a loving and merciful God. 'I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life. I can only dream and pray for human forgiveness, because I certainly don't deserve it. I have even accepted the thought that God may be the only One who ultimately and completely forgives me. Still, I want to say I'm sorry to everyone I have hurt. I am truly sorry. It is my hope and prayer that all those I have hurt will receive healing, mercy, and hope from the Merciful Healer and Hope-Giver. 'Even before this recent news became public, I had started on a path to health, healing, and wholeness, thanks to a small circle of clinical health professionals, loving family, caring friends, and wise counselors -all of whom saw my brokenness and surrounded me with love, grace, and prayer. Sin is a terrible thing, taking us where we don't want to go; keeping us longer than we want to stay; and costing us more than we want to pay. I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing-work I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the the extent my sinful behavior has caused anyone to lose respect or faith or trust in me, I understand, deserve, and accept that. But it crushes me to think that someone would lose or choose not to pursue faith and trust in Jesus because I have been a horrible representative of Him-for He alone is ultimately the only hope for any of us. 'King David's prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 has been my prayer this year: 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness… Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me… Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.' 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Minnesota exhibit uplifts Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ voices in Indigenous art
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'We're all meant to be different,' Kagigebi says. 'That's the joy.' Helping others feel less alone The connections and support can be vital, especially when processing experiences with homophobia, racism or both. Dahl-Wooley had moved to Oregon after college graduation, worked in a corporate career, fell in love and returned to northern Minnesota about 20 years ago to run his family's fifth-generation Big Winnie Store, RV Park and Campground At first, the move back was a shock. When they'd lived on the West Coast, medical staffs treated he and his partner, Matthew, like a couple, but when Dahl-Wooley ended up in a Bemidji emergency room, the staff wouldn't acknowledge them as such and weren't going to let Matthew, now his husband, be at his bedside when he was sick. Dahl-Wooley and Matthew were the first same-sex marriage sanctioned by the Ojibwe nation in 2013. That opened the door for other couples to follow. When he was asked to talk about his experience as a Two-Spirit person at a community center in Cass Lake, Dahl-Wooley was surprised that 30 people showed up. Invitations to talk to other groups followed, and he began speaking to health care organizations, law enforcement groups, schools and colleges, and other organizations to help them better understand and support the 2SLGBTQ+ population. The Trevor Project's 2023 report on Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ young people showed that more than half of them seriously considered suicide in the past year. Almost half have also experienced food insecurity and more than a third have experienced homelessness. 'My goal is suicide prevention, anti-bullying, no self-harm and cultural inclusion,' says Dahl-Wooley. He keeps a database of churches, therapists, health care providers and more who are welcoming to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. He'll schedule Queer Tea events where people can come to have tea, play games, talk and be themselves. They might discuss ways to stay safe or use humor to cope with traumas many have experienced. Additional events might include an art show or gender-affirmative wardrobe clothing drives. He recalled a teen calling him one day, crying with gratitude because he saw Dahl-Wooley and his husband together in the community, laughing and living normal lives, which gave him the ability to see a future for himself. He was also recognized in an Oregon grocery store line by a young man who had needed help and found a video of Dahl-Wooley giving one of his talks online. 'People are paying attention whether you realize it or not,' he says. 'Sometimes just a little difference can save a life.' Kagigebi and Dahl-Wooley each hope that more visible 2SLGBTQ+ elders and younger 2SLGBTQ+ people such as the artists in the upcoming exhibit will make it easier for others to find their way and to better embrace the unique gifts they bring to the world. 'I want the Two-Spirit population to know how important and powerful they are — just as they are,' Dahl-Wooley says. 'We're sacred. We're honored, and we're respected. A lot of people need to hear that.' More information Two Spirit Advocacy Dahl-Wooley shares his story across the country, works with businesses and organizations to be more welcoming to 2SLGBTQ people and hosts events in Bemidji such as Queer Tea. Queer Indigeneity This exhibit opens Sept. 18 at the Minnesota Museum of Art in St. Paul and features 16 Indigenous artists who identify as Two Spirit, queer or gender expansive, including Giiwedin, a young artist and activist who made GLAAD's 20 Under 20 list of changemakers presented in Teen Vogue. The show will run through early 2026.

Chris Tomlin, Matthew West announced as headliners for RiseFest
Chris Tomlin, Matthew West announced as headliners for RiseFest

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Chris Tomlin, Matthew West announced as headliners for RiseFest

SHELDON, Iowa (KCAU) — Ready for music festivals this summer? For Christian music-lovers, there's a music festival coming to Sheldon, Iowa. RiseFest, this year, is June 20 and 21. On Friday, June 20, the main stage will feature the following artists: Matthew West, Rend Collective, Patrick Mayberry, and Allison Eide. The following day, June 21, the main stage will welcome: Chris Tomlin, Crowder, KB, Megan Woods, and a few worship services. Interested in more festivals? Learn about Saturday in the Park by clicking here! The artists' genres include contemporary, pop, folk, rock, and hip-hop. Other than music, RiseFest offers camping options, food vendors, seminars, a kids' zone area, and a Prayer Tent. General admission to RiseFest is $68, and kids under 10 years old are free. It's a rain-or-shine event, but if there is severe weather, the festival may be delayed. If you're interested in learning more about RiseFest, click here to visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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