Click here to join this online CLGS Lavender Lunch via Zoom!

What does it mean to be Transgender and Catholic in a Church still learning to grasp the full dignity of trans persons?

Sponsored by the CLGS Catholic Roundtable, this Lavender Lunch panel will bring together Trans Catholic leaders whose lives, faith, and courage are at the heart of the Church and are already shaping the Church’s future. Rather than rehearsing old debates, we look ahead—toward communities where Trans bodies are honored and help shape a Catholic tradition informed by their grace-filled lives.

Panelists will reflect on emerging theological visions, pastoral practices, and spiritual insights borne from Trans wisdom. Together, we explore how trans Catholics are not just included in the Church’s future, but essential to creating it. They are the heart of the Church.

Come join us for this discussion!

Our Presenters

Professor Ish Ruíz is Coordinator of the CLGS Catholic Roundtable and Assistant Professor of Latinx and Queer Decolonial Theology at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. Dr. Ruíz holds a PhD in Theology and Ethics from the Graduate Theological Union.

A native of Puerto Rico and a queer Catholic theologian, his research interests explore the intersection between queer theology, Latinx theology, ecclesiology, sexual ethics, liberation, human rights, and Catholic education.

He is the author of LGBTQ+ Educators in Catholic Schools: Synodality, Inclusivity, and Justice (Rowman and Littlefield), the editor of Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions, and the author of numerous academic articles.

Max Kuzma

Max Kuzma is the first transgender columnist at the National Catholic Reporter, a board member of DignityUSA, and the creator of a Substack focused on queer Catholic identity, often in collaboration with Emma Cieslik. He also hosts Whiplash with Maxwell Kuzma, a podcast where theology, culture, and lived experience intersect in thoughtful and challenging conversations. He is frequently interviewed by the press, including The New York Times and the BBC, and has spoken at the Outreach conference. Across platforms, his work reimagines Catholic theology by centering LGBTQ+ Catholics as full participants in the life of the Church.

Christian Matson

Brother Christian Matson is a diocesan hermit in the Catholic Diocese of Lexington. He publicly disclosed his transgender status in 2024 and is believed to be the only openly transgender religious brother in the Roman Catholic Church. He received his Ph.D. in Divinity from the University of St Andrews, his MA in Theology from Oxford University, and his BFA in Drama and Psychology from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He continues to work professionally in the arts as the president of Earendel Theatricals, where he produces socially-conscious theatre and is currently in his third season performing in Earendel’s regional Equity tour of the one-man show Every Brilliant Thing in partnership with Eastern Kentucky University’s Trauma and Suicide Prevention Clinic.

Maureen Rasmussen

Maureen Rasmussen is a Catholic trans woman. Her deepest desire continues to be centered on helping trans persons and the greater LGBTQ+ community, who struggle with faith and truth. She has shared her deeply personal story of transition, faith, and acceptance to a Catholic Health Association (CHA) sponsored meeting with the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB.) After speaking at the 2024 Jesuit-sponsored Outreach LGBTQ+ Conference in Washington, DC, Maureen received an invitation to meet Pope Francis. She was one of four trans women who met Pope Francis at the Vatican on September 18, 2024. Maureen previously served as president/partner of a Maryland-based lighting company. She currently serves as a senior strategic advisor for the business. Maureen holds a degree from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.

A CLGS Spring 2026 Lavender Lunch