not crying on Sundays

Our Lady, Mother of Ferguson and All Those Killed by Gun Violence

Our Lady, Mother of Ferguson and All Those Killed by Gun Violence, often shortened to 'Our Lady of Ferguson', was created in 2015 by Black iconographer Mark Doox, after being commissioned by Rev. Dr. Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones for the Trinity Church in New York City. The icon was made to honor Michael Brown, a Black teen murdered at the hands of Darren Wilson, a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, in 2014. While Black Lives Matter and similar groups had already established their presence in the United States following the murder of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown's brutal murder brought all eyes across the United States onto the movement and forced the reality of police brutality onto the TV screens and twitter feeds of white usamericans who refused to acknowledge that reality.

Rev. Bozzuti-Jones, a Jamaican priest at Trinity Church, an Episcopal church in Manhattan, commissioned the icon to honor Michael Brown and all other African Americans taken by police violence. Rev. Bozzuti-Jones, who is known for his racial activism and writings in the Episcopal church, chose Mark Doox for his bold, unflinching combination of Blackness and religion. Influenced by Byzantine iconography and Dadaism, Doox describes his art as such:

Blending narrative elements, historical references, and spiritual iconography in his Byz Dada style, Mark aims to create works that challenge viewers to confront sometimes uncomfortable truths about race, Identity, and power in American history. His commitment to addressing these existential themes head-on aims to explore deep cultural and historical issues while inviting reflection, conversation, and healing.

Doox continues to create icons for the Episcopal and African-Orthodox churches, and recently published "The N–Word of God", a graphic novel and art book. You can purchase it here

If you see a problem you're experiencing down below, pray to the associated saint for intercession to aid you. ♥

Insomnia — St. Peter Damian Headaches — St. Teresa of Avila Illness — St. Raphael the Archangel Chronic illness — St. Lidwina Burnout — St. Thomas Aquinas Animal wellness — St. Francis of Assisi Studying / academia — St. Joseph of Cupertino Housing insecurity — St. Benedict Joseph Labre Anxiety / depression — St. Dymphna Desperation / hopelessness — St. Jude Thaddaeus Loneliness — St. Rita of Cascia Gender identity — St. Joan of Arc Fear / insecurity — St. Michael the Archangel Dysfunctional families — St. Eugene de Mazenod Abuse — St. Monica Grief — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Financial trouble — St. Matthew Lost items — St. Anthony of Padua Travel / motorists — St. Christopher Spiritual oppression — St. Benedict

Hans Wechtlin Sixteen male Saints

St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179)💙

A mystic, composer, herbalist, and visionary, St. Hildegard of Bingen was a female legend of history!! She received divine visions from a very young age, & later recorded her revelations in texts and visionary art. She blended theology, cosmology, & natural healing into her writing.

Hello <3 Thank you so much for reaching out. Know that you are loved and that you are allowed to feel doubt and that it is normal to feel afraid. You do not need to be, it will be okay and things will get better.

I will give you the advice I wish someone had given to me when I was struggling with my identity: You do not need the apologetics as much as you think you do. They exist, and they are valid, and I will link to resources and books and texts. But you do not need theology to validate your existence and affirm your dignity. You, your existence and your joy, are proof enough of a God that loves queer people.

Know the Doctrine will probably not change within our lifetimes, but also know that it does not matter as much as they tell us it does.

Our lived experiences are worth a thousand theological treaties. I think that's the most important thing you can do is find testimonials, find other queer Catholics and queer Christians, find your community. Hear their stories, and that'll help you see how much goodness and love and tenderness there is ahead of you.

Here are some resources that helped me/I have found recently and I think are very useful.

The Whiplash Podcast / newsletter by Maxwell Kuzma and Emma Cieslik. Max and Emma are dear friends of mine, and they are both devout queer catholics that have an amazing podcast and resource. I recommend you start with this video / episode titled "Debunking Catholic Claims about Queer People."

Vine & Fig. They are no longer active, but their videos are still up and are very beautiful. I recommend "God thought you'd like being queer."

That Theology Teacher. A queer theology professor making queer-affirming and accessible theology content. He's not as active as he used to be, but his videos were very instrumental to me. "Queering the Infancy Narratives" is a video I used to go back to often.

For books, you could look into:

"Hidden Mercy: Aids, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear" by Michael J. O'Loughlin

"Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us" by Cole Arthur Riley

"You Can, If You Want To: Navigating Christian Faith, Conscience, and Matters LGBTQ+" by Fr. James Alison

"Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay" by Fr. James Alison

"God Didn't Make Us To Hate Us" by Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail

Other than that, you can look into Catholic organizations like 'New Ways Ministry' and 'Outreach'.

I'm sorry this is not a straightforward answer, but I hope you can find solace in these resources. Remember that your process through this is yours. Don't feel like you have to forsake your religion and your relationship with God, because you don't. God loves you just as you are, not in spite of anything, but because of all that you were, are and will be. But also, know it's perfectly normal and alright to take a second and assess everything you are feeling and experiencing. God will not be angry at you for any sort of upset or doubt you might feel.

You are so loved. Truly. Do not let anything or anyone make you think otherwise.

And in the words of Julian of Norwich, I tell you that "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." It gets better, it gets more peaceful, it gets quieter, it gets more joyful, it gets so so so much better. Trust me.

I will be praying for you!!!

“My kingdom is not of this world” - John 18:36

“We must obey God rather than men.” - Acts 5:29

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” - Hebrews 12:28