Leave Laugh Love

If you have any other information that you’re willing to share with us about the charismatic renewal, covenant communities, or Sword of the Spirit, please email [email protected] or send us a DM on Instagram.We are indebted to John Flaherty for his decades of work collecting, organizing, and making original documents publicly accessible through Scribd. Here is just a sampling of the important files documenting the history of Sword of the Spirit, including the sources for many of the original documents quoted or referenced in this episode:Sneaking the Sword of the Spirit into the Catholic Church: https://www.scribd.com/document/20484406/Sneaking-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit-Into-the-Catholic-Church Death Oath of The Sword of The Spirit: https://www.scribd.com/document/56950055/Death-Oath-of-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit Sword of the Spirit at Franciscan University: https://www.scribd.com/document/19166829/Sword-of-the-Spirit-at-Franciscan-University The Complete Training Course of The Sword of The Spirit 1982: https://www.scribd.com/document/99711118/The-Complete-Training-Course-of-the-Sword-of-the-Spirit-1982Other Sources:Morrier Lawsuit: https://www.scribd.com/document/604108628/Morier-Lawsuit-Redacted From page 18 of the lawsuit: “In late 2011, Plaintiff became pregnant as a result of Morrier’s abuse. Morrier’s response was that ‘There is no way God would punish him like that,’ that ‘A pregnancy would ruin his life,’ and that Plaintiff needed to ‘take care of it.’ Contrary to her religious beliefs at the time, but under Morrier’s complete control, Plaintiff felt compelled to follow his advice and thereafter underwent an abortion in Philadelphia one week before Christmas of 2011. When Plaintiff informed Morrier that she had the abortion, Morrier blamed it on a fictional demon named ‘Fr. Robert,’ and would have Plaintiff tell the participants in subsequent deliverance sessions that ‘Fr. Robert’ got her pregnant but that she had ‘miscarried’ the fetus (instead of aborting it)”.Washington Post’s multi-part exposé on Mother of God in Gaithersburg, MD: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mog/mogmain.htm Christopher West’s Mother’s Statement on Mother of God: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mog/members/west.htm No Longer Strangers by Regina Doman and the Rev. Gregory Plow, TOR, a short book on the history of household life at Franciscan University: https://troubonline.com/tor-friar-franciscan-alumna-team-up-for-book-on-household-life/ FIRE (Faith, Intercession, Repentance, Evangelism): https://www.renewalministries.net/ralph-martin-recalls-fr-scanlans-support/ The Malines Documents: https://www.nsc-chariscenter.org/malines-documents/ Current website of the Community of God’s Love which continues to operate in Steubenville, OH: https://coglove.org/ True House: An Oral History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqfdxkn2sBg This was released after we recorded this episode, but trust that we will be watching and deep diving in the coming months. 

order a candle: ⁠https://dzhe0h-k0.myshopify.com/products/i-survived-steubenville-prayer-candle?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web⁠leave laugh love on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4owQNOi ⁠⁠⁠⁠leave laugh love on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3WWIXlf⁠⁠leave laugh love on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/leavelaughlovepod/⁠support us on Patreon! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/LeaveLaughLovePod⁠⁠⁠#leavelaughlove⁠ ⁠#catholicism⁠ ⁠#fundamentalism⁠ ⁠#deconstruction

Join us for Part 2 of our conversation with author, poet, queer parent, fellow FUS alum, and sometime college professor R/B Mertz. In this episode, we're discussing the education system, higher ed, right-wing politics, and how it all impacts the queer community and beyond.check out R/B's other work, including their debut memoir, Burning Butch: ⁠https://rbmertz.com/⁠order a candle: ⁠https://dzhe0h-k0.myshopify.com/products/i-survived-steubenville-prayer-candle?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web⁠leave laugh love on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leavelaughloveleave laugh love on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4owQNOi ⁠⁠⁠⁠leave laugh love on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3WWIXlf⁠⁠leave laugh love on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/leavelaughlovepod/⁠support us on Patreon! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/LeaveLaughLovePod⁠⁠⁠#leavelaughlove⁠ ⁠#catholicism⁠ ⁠#fundamentalism⁠ ⁠#deconstruction

Join us for Part 1 of our conversation with author, poet, queer parent, and sometime college professor R/B Mertz. check out R/B's other work, including their debut memoir, Burning Butch: https://rbmertz.com/ order a candle: https://dzhe0h-k0.myshopify.com/products/i-survived-steubenville-prayer-candle?utm_source=copyToPasteBoard&utm_medium=product-links&utm_content=web leave laugh love on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://bit.ly/4owQNOi ⁠leave laugh love on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/3WWIXlf⁠ leave laugh love on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leavelaughlovepod/ support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/LeaveLaughLovePod⁠⁠ #leavelaughlove⁠ ⁠#catholicism⁠ ⁠#fundamentalism⁠ ⁠#deconstruction

Join Veronica for a chat about deconstructing in December with all the complicated feelings that Advent and Christmas bring when you've been deconstructing. Here's some links to resources on the holiday season. While these articles are all targeted to the LGBTQ+ community, I hope they might be helpful even if you are straight and cisgender!- 8 Queer Tips to Get Through the Holidays - Queer Theology- Going Home for the Holidays - The Trevor Project - 5 Holiday Tips for LGBTQ+ People in Recovery - The Center - Making It Through the Holidays as an LGBTQ+ Person - SFGMC ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠order a candle here!leave laugh love on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4owQNOileave laugh love on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3WWIXlfleave laugh love on Instagram:   / leavelaughlovepod  support us on Patreon!   / leavelaughlovepod  #leavelaughlove #catholicism #fundamentalism #deconstruction

Today we unpack compulsory heterosexuality (“comphet”)—how church culture, gender scripts, and fear of exclusion pushed us to date men, plan marriages, and mistake deep friendship for attraction. We share the slow, messy process of naming queerness, the survival calculus of staying in community, and why silence around sexuality harms everyone—including the Church. From youth group purity talk to adult deconstruction, this is a candid look at desire, honesty, and building a life that actually fits.00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn02:10 Understanding Compulsory Heterosexuality06:30 Struggles with Identity and Relationships24:05 The Impact of Conversion Therapy29:22 Struggles with Sexuality and Church Teachings31:36 Mental Health Risks for Queer Individuals in the Church44:03 Historical and Social Context of Queer Relationships46:31 Critique of Church's Stance on Sexuality53:09 Conversion Therapy and Its Rejection01:00:32 Support from Other Faith Communities

Evelyn, Veronica, and Cade compare the wildly different messages men and women receive in Catholic spaces—porn-and-purity men’s talks vs. dignity-and-modesty women’s talks—then track how those scripts shape deconstruction, dating, and identity. From Theo-bro debate culture to confession-as-streaks, “feminine genius” to closeting strategies, we unpack power, fear, and why over-intellectualizing feelings keeps people stuck—and how to get free.00:00 Small Group02:05 Gendered Experiences in Catholicism05:47 Men's Emotional Expression and Social Dynamics13:26 Purity Culture and Confession26:12 Social Hierarchies and Virtue in Catholic Circles38:36 Catholic Ideals and Sexuality49:43 Experiences of Queer Women in the Church59:01 Challenges of Dating in Catholic Culture01:01:05 Over-Intellectualizing Catholic Teachings01:07:08 Autism and Hyperfixations in Religious Contexts

We sit down with Cherie - aka “The Canceled Christian” - to unpack life inside high-control evangelical spaces: homeschooling, purity culture, and rules at Pensacola Christian College, plus the cracks that formed during 2020 and after Dobbs. Cherie shares how she and her husband deconstructed together, why empathy (not outrage) moved her most, and practical advice for taking it slow, finding a “deconstruction buddy,” and keeping whatever spirituality still fits.find more of cherie on tiktok: leave laugh love on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4owQNOi leave laugh love on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3WWIXlf leave laugh love on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leavelaughlovepod/ support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/LeaveLaughLovePod #leavelaughlove #catholicism #fundamentalism #deconstruction00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn02:17 Cherie's Background and Deconstruction Journey04:23 Navigating Marriage and Deconstruction06:12 College Experiences and Questioning Beliefs15:25 Working at Starbucks and Meeting Non-Christians25:18 Starting on Social Media and Shiny Happy People28:23 Understanding Cult Dynamics33:43 Navigating Political and Religious Tensions36:45 Personal Deconstruction Journeys43:49 Advice for Those Deconstructing

We unpack the parts of Catholicism we still love and live by: the dignity of every person, preferential option for the poor, workers’ rights, solidarity, and care for creation. We get honest about where politics eclipsed the Gospel, why those same values led us out, and how community, ritual, silence, and values-based living still shape our daily lives—queer-affirming, neighbor-minded, and deeply human.00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn02:02 Positive Influences from Catholic Upbringing04:12 The Value of Human Dignity07:02 Reflections on Relationships and Complementarity11:01 Building Community and Self-Sacrifice13:07 Catholic Social Teaching: Core Values19:04 Solidarity and Care for God's Creation25:12 Community, Rituals, and Traditions27:39 Navigating Spirituality Beyond Catholicism36:37 The Importance of Silence and No Phone Time43:24 Values-Based Living and Personal Growth

Franciscan University has launched a $10 million “Homeland Mission” in Washington DC — partnering with groups like the Heritage Foundation and the Museum of the Bible. In this episode, Evelyn and Veronica unpack how the project connects to a broader movement of Christian nationalism, the donors behind it, and what it signals about the growing Catholic presence in U.S. politics. From prayer breakfasts to policy influence, this conversation explores faith, money, and power in America’s capital.00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn03:22 Franciscan University's Homeland Mission Details07:36 Donor Contributions and Impact10:21 Event Highlights and Alumni Involvement14:14 Philanthropy and Broader Contributions17:28 Residential Facilities for Students in DC19:57 Project 2025 and Trump's Influence21:15 Catholicism and Conservative Politics25:41 Immigration and Long-term Political Strategies30:36 Concerns About Right-Wing Catholic Politics

Join us as we unpack Life Teen’s State of Catholic Youth in America (2024) — breaking down “the five cries of youth,” the XLT/adoration model, summer camps, Steubenville ties, and the report’s framing of anxiety, gender dysphoria, politics, and phones. This episode is for devout parents, deconstructors, and anyone curious about how Catholic youth culture really works.Read along with us as we discuss LifeTeen's "2024 Report on The State of Catholic Youth in America."Support us on Patreon!

Veronica walks us through Chiles v. Salazar—the Supreme Court challenge to Colorado’s conversion-therapy ban. We unpack what the law actually prohibits (licensed claims to change orientation or gender identity), what it explicitly allows (client-led support and identity exploration), why “professional conduct” is regulate-able, and how amicus briefs—from Catholic orgs to ex-Exodus leaders — frame the stakes for LGBTQ+ youth, families, and faith communities.Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date!

Happy feast day to both of our confirmation Saints! Today we dive into the life of St. Francis & the legacy he left behindThank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Order a candle here!

Join us for our thoughts on Chapters 1 & 2 of the YOUCATThank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date!⁠⁠⁠⁠Order a candle here!

"The Great Controversy" by Ellen White showed up on Veronica's doorstep... and we have thoughts⁠⁠⁠Order a candle here!

Join us as we talk through the chaos of the week & all the tangents it brought us on

As Carlos Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati join the ranks of Catholic Saints, we discuss what all goes into the making of one

Join us as we reflect on the life & legacy of Dr. James Dobson

Shiny Happy People season one had a huge impact on our deconstruction... but season two feels even more relevant. Join us as we deep dive on the parallels to the Catholic conference world

Leave Laugh Love turned one! Join us as we reflect on all the things we learned in our first year of building this podcast

In this episode, we’re diving into Hallow— the Catholic meditation and prayer app. We talk about its features, the celebs involved, some of the controversy around monetizing prayer, and how it unexpectedly led us down a rabbit hole of QAnon, Catholic influencers, and Jim Caviezel.

Bill from the Morally Offensive podcast joins us to share his story of exiting the Church and the bizarre masculinity standards that pushed him over the edgeMorally Offensive Podcast⁠⁠Order a candle here!

In this episode, we trace the rise of Fr. Mike Schmitz — from campus minister to internet sensation. Have a little crazy red string moment with us while we talk media strategy, charismatic conference culture, and how everything somehow comes back to teleology & vibes.⁠Order a candle here!

In this episode, we tackle the weird world of Catholic sex rules straight from church documents and encyclicals. From NFP to PIV, we break down the doctrine's wildest regulationsOrder a candle here!

What do we mean when we talk about culty/fundie/high-control Catholicism? Join us as we break down the BITE model of authoritarian control & the mind games that can make certain Catholic communities more than a little bit culty

Kevin Nontradicath joins us to talk about growing up FSSP, young earth creationism, teleology, eucharistic miracles, and how researching the faith led him out of it. ⁠Kevin's Youtube⁠Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to stay up to date!

A gay ex-Catholic and an ex-gay Christian walk into a bar... Join me as I chat with Garrett about faith, queerness, and all the messy stuff in between. We dive into our complicated feelings about the church, how psychology and spirituality mix, why talking about queerness and mental health is so hard, and maintaining mutual respect across deeply different beliefs

Charlotte was once the pro-life movement's poster child-- a young survivor of sexual assault who wanted to carry her baby to term. As a child, her story was exploited by the movement to further the push for extreme anti-abortion policy. As she grew and evolved, her opinions on policy became more complex, and eventually led her to quietly step back from the movement. When she found herself considering abortion as an adult, former friends from the movement filed a fraudulent affidavit in an attempt to prevent her from attending her appointment. Charlotte's story is one I wish she didn't have to tell, but a deeply important one nonetheless. She speaks to the exploitation of minors and vulnerable communities within the pro-life movement, and the extreme lengths they will go to if you attempt to leave. Charlotte's InstagramCharlotte's Substack

Saint Sydney-- patron of swear slaps, purity culture, and comedy. Join us for this deep dive on her Catholic story.Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!Syd's InstagramFun in ModerationSaint Sydney in ChicagoBuy a Saint Sydney Medal

Today we're diving into The Catholic Girl's Guide to Sex... and it had some unexpected plot twistsThank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!

Our Lady of All Nations has an offer you can't refuse-- all you have to do is declare a fifth Marian dogma naming her coredemptrix, mediatrix of all grace, and advocate. If you don't... she'll burn you to the ground. Sounds great right? Join us as we deep dive on this fun little apparition that was approved, then disapproved, then approved again... in Japan?Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!

Bishop Barron was recently appointed to Trump's Commission for Religious Liberty. Dive down the rabbit hole of tweets, blog posts, and interviews with us as we discuss the Christian nationalism of it allThank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!Links:https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/barron/my-experience-of-the-synod/https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/despite-the-efforts-of-the-modern-project-there-is-no-secular/https://www.facebook.com/BishopRobertBarron/videos/friends-as-i-reflect-on-my-extraordinary-experience-in-washington-id-like-to-sha/502815232629275/https://www.facebook.com/reel/1366401441353440https://x.com/BishopBarron/status/1918002518333735394https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3s7pOHPwRb/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGVomF3MNI8https://youtu.be/xHRyn1O2oxs?si=YeDUodgnuhLcA3GXhttps://youtu.be/XULEzTUua8U?si=lf7YwIODAn949DWvhttps://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/the-dog-whistle-christian-nationalism?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=10679077640&gbraid=0AAAAACfelfwja4YpZlHFwxVtExG-rWuR1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoZbBBhDCARIsAOqMEZWcPo-RLetZ1B2Q3k8cxl3BR2i5kFeUCD9SqrsWO27kL9qDa8bvcgYaAoGlEALw_wcBhttps://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/faqs

A collection of everything we know about the pope so far

Veronica & Colin discuss Dayspring, an incredible novel that transforms the gospels into a story of queer romancehttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/713616/dayspring-by-anthony-oliveira/

In honor of Easter, we're combing through some of the logical fallacies that this lovely piece of apologetic literature throws at non-believersThank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠⁠our Patreon community⁠⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!

Building community can feel difficult for anyone, but navigating that world after leaving the Church is a special kind of hard. Here are all of our tips and tricks from the years beyond youth group.Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join ⁠our Patreon community⁠ (free or paid) to stay up to date!

Join Veronica and Evelyn as we read Lenten story submissions from r/excatholic. Thank you to everyone who submitted their stories on Reddit! Check out the original post here!Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join our Patreon community (free or paid) to stay up to date!Many apologies for the bad quality of Veronica's audio, I did the best I could to mitigate in editing. Mea maxima culpa.

Join Veronica for a conversation with Nicole, a trans woman in the process of joining the Third Order Dominicans. You can find Nicole @transfiguredcatholic on YouTube and Instagram. Subscribe to our Patreon and give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok to stay up to date!Show NotesDignitas Infinita, the declaration on human dignity by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.What Vatican II ALMOST Taught About Sex Changes, Catholic Answers, November 17, 2021. Nicole references a draft of a document that didn’t make the final cut of promulgated documents from the Second Vatican Council. I can’t find a ton about it online, but you can check out Fr. Hugh Barbour, O. Praem., talking about it for 37 minutes on Catholic Answers (or read the transcript like I did).  Coccinelle was an iconic French celebrity actress who underwent sex reassignment surgery in 1958, widely believed to be the first celebrity to do so. Coccinelle went on to marry a cis man in the Catholic Church, a fact which Nicole thinks sparked the discussions surrounding sex reassignment at Vatican II (see above). I’m obsessed with her. Click here for a bio of Coccinelle.In 1997, Cardinal Raymond Burke approved the founding of the Francsican Servants of Jesus by trans woman Julie Green in La Crosse, Wisconsin. This is so shocking today because of Cardinal Burke’s current and outspoken anti-LGBT views. In 1975, one couple sought an annulment that rocked the Church and suggests that the Church’s positions on how to determine sex and gender are not so black and white as the conservatives want us to believe. Read about it here:  High Court’s 1975 Decision Points to Alternative Vatican Path on Gender Identity Issues, New Ways Ministry, June 17, 2019. Some Gender-Affirming Care May Be Permitted, Says Vatican Cardinal, New Ways Ministry, March 14, 2025. This article references new comments from Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández regarding the permissibility of sex reassignment surgeries. Cardinal Fernández is the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and originally penned Dignitas Infinita. Read the unexpected and fascinating story of St. Marina the Monk here (yes this links to Wikipedia, but trust me, this narrative is way more readable than other sources). Read along with the Office of Readings for the feast of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen here. Here’s just a snippet: “In this way we began to feel affection for each other. When, in the course of time, we acknowledged our friendship and recognized that our ambition was a life of true wisdom, we became everything to each other: we shared the same lodging, the same table, the same desires, the same goal. Our love for each other grew daily warmer and deeper.”

We're not obsessed with Baltimore's LGBT pastoral accompaniment policies... but who's surprisedhttps://www.archbalt.org/lgbt-pastoral-accompaniment/Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our new Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!!

An Ash Wednesday special where we yap about Lent, fasting, and why we actually kind of love Exodus 90.Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our new Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠!!

Join us as we yap into the void about Catholic skincare, inductive vs deductive reasoning, oligarchy, anti-intellectualism, Plato, and how RFK Jr. will have to pry the SSRIs out of our cold dead handsThank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. ⁠⁠⁠Check out our new Patreon⁠⁠⁠!!

A deep dive on Vance, "ordo amoris," and Catholic social teaching + a bonus tangent about religious psychosis.Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. ⁠⁠Check out our new Patreon⁠⁠!!

Elizabeth discusses her experience of being indoctrinated, leaving, and finding peace outside of the church.Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTokOur new Patreon!! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/LeaveLaughLovePod?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator⁠

Join us as we read through the unhinged things we used to jot down in our phones when we were deeply religiousThank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. ⁠Check out our new Patreon⁠!!

Jenn shares her story of how she found herself covering abuse cases in the Catholic Church as a journalist.You can findJenn’s Substack, Believer, here.Check out our new Patreon for exclusive content as we build our community! Show Notes and LinksFacebook group mentioned:You're probably from the Franciscan University of Steubenville ifAlumnae question Franciscan University of Steubenville's commitment to Title IX, National Catholic Reporter, April 16, 2018.“When Annie confided in friend what had happened, the friend went to Fr. David Morrier, then-coordinator of Household Life and campus ministry. ‘Father Morrier encouraged me to seek therapy, which I did. He did not encourage me to go to the police or file any kind of report.’ Instead, Annie says, ‘He told me my behavior was compromising and encouraged me to go to confession.’Then Morrier, without her permission, confronted the assailant. Annie said that Morrier not only violated her confidence but also put her in jeopardy. As a result, Annie's case was never reported to any authority, and her alleged rapist faced no consequences.”The Soros-Funded Attacks on Orthodox Catholic Universities, Crisis Magazine, April 27, 2018: After the National Catholic Reporter published the above article, Crisis Magazine responded with this hit piece on the “coordinated attack” on conservative Catholic colleges supposedly funded by "billionaire philanthropist" George Soros.Plaque's removal from Franciscan University exposes abuse by former chaplain, National Catholic Reporter, October 31, 2018: Undeterred, Jenn continued to share the stories of women who reached out to her.New residence director rejoices in campus’ Christ-centered focus, The Troubadour, November 12, 2018: Veronica encountered some of the drama surrounding the Title IX scandals in her own journalism for the student newspaper. A staff member that she interviewed that fall asked to state on record, “‘... my boss, Catherine Heck, is absolutely amazing. Sometimes I think Catherine is on campus working more with students than I am, and I live here!’”Jenn's first post on Twitter with the Dropbox link to documentation on the Fr. David Morrier case, October 28, 2022. Direct Dropbox linkhere!Another Twitter post from October 28, 2022. New allegations charge Franciscan University abuse cover up, The Pillar, October 28, 2022: The Pillar also picked up the story about David Morrier. Centralized Location for Documentation of Father David Morrier, Jenn’s Substack, June 22, 2023. Maryland Same-Sex Civil Marriage Referendum, Question 6 (2012), Ballotpedia. Jenn shares how she voted yes on Prop 6 to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland prior to Obergefell v. Hodges.Allegations Against Father Gregory Plow, TOR, currently assigned to Franciscan University of Steubenville, Jenn’s Substack, June 26, 2023. A Response to Fr. David Pivonka's Alumni Email, Jenn’s Substack, June 28, 2023: Fr. Dave sent out an email to staff, current students, and alumni regarding Jenn’s article. Jenn includes the text of the original email as well as her response here. Fr. Dave’s comments: “These allegations did not involve sexual misconduct or criminal conduct… When the allegations were raised in 2012, Franciscan University investigated the matter in accordance with the policies at that time and reported it immediately to the Diocese of Steubenville. The University's investigation concluded that University policy was not violated, nor did a sexual assault or criminal conduct occur.”Others Share Their Allegations Against Father Gregory Plow, TOR, Jenn’s Substack, June 30, 2023.My Experience With Father Gregory Plow, TOR, Jenn’s Substack, August 28, 2023.

Join Veronica and guest star Ben as they talk about “all things church and gay,” as she so eloquently puts it at the start of the episode. Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released (almost) every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok and leave a review wherever you find our podcast. Check out our new Patreon!! I am working on reposting all of our episodes on Patreon with fuller show notes (sneak peek below!), which will be available to all patrons whether paid or free.Show NotesWatch the first project Ben and Veronica did together on Intrinsically Ordered, Gay Ex Trad’s alt podcast account: Responding to Trent Horn's '7 Questions Liberals Can't Answer' - Non-Catholic Answers Ep 1 God is… Main Campus 2, June 2014: “The Atheist” video by Sean Forrest. Start at 5:25 for the skit video, and stick around for his proof of God’s existence through the design of a Rolex watch! (Veronica really thought he ate with this.)CBS News: “Vice President JD Vance blasts U.S. Catholic bishops condemning ICE entering churches and schools” CMSWR mentioned!!Theology of the Body for Teens: Middle School Edition. Veronica can’t believe that her and Ben both used this curriculum in seventh grade. (Not an affiliate link, but can you imagine if it was lol)Glory dust is often associated with Bethel Church, where “glory clouds” of gold dust are routinely seen in the air above the congregants during worship, but sometimes also appears on the hands of the devout during charismatic prayer across Christian denominations.“Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders,” promulgated by the Congregation for Catholic Education branch of the Vatican on November 4, 2005. Here’s the quote mentioned by Ben: “Such persons, in fact, find themselves in a situation that gravely hinders them from relating correctly to men and women. One must in no way overlook the negative consequences that can derive from the ordination of persons with deep-seated homosexual tendencies (2.5).” I don’t know what they’re tripping on, because I think Ben and I relate to one another just fine…“Doubt is not the same as unbelief” by Shelby AbbotIntrinsically Ordered’s recent podcast episode on the Vatican’s documents regarding the admittance of men experiencing same-sex attraction to the seminary: Can Gay Men Become Catholic Priests? Gay Ex-Catholics Explain Recent Italian Bishops' DocumentThe Beauty and Graces of a Josephite MarriageFranciscan University’s Compendium on Human Sexuality: The two “practical application” sections significantly longer than the others are “sexual identity” and “same-sex attraction” (transgender and gay identities, respectively). The relevant quote from page 10 on coming out with prudence: “A person will likely sometimes have reason to let others know that he or she has this inclination, for example, as part of the formation of chaste and wholesome friendships in which people help one another in their common pursuit of virtue and holiness (e.g., a Courage group, a small group of friends, or as part of Franciscan University’s Integratis ministry) (cf. CCC 2359). Still, one ought not act as though this inclination were good or even neutral, and prudence should be used in decisions about letting others know about one’s same-sex attractions or desires.”"Journeying With Friends Who Have LGBT+ Experiences" - Manny Gonzalez at Franciscan University

Adele speaks to her experience of being neurodivergent in the church and finding more nuance in theology Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok

Hannah Beck shares her story of leaving the Apostolic Christian Church and rebuilding her life on the other side Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok https://www.instagram.com/hannahbeckcomedy/ https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahaha424?lang=en

Our thoughts on the new movie Conclave (with lots of spoilers, you've been warned) Chris Damian on Word on Fire: https://chrisdamian.substack.com/p/sexual-misconduct-and-employee-intimidation Bishop Barron on Conclave: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/bishop-robert-barron-pans-conclave-movie-run-away-from-it-as-fast-as-you-can Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok

Join us for a chat about the "culture wars," childless cat ladies, and Carrie Gress. The article we reference: https://eppc.org/publication/5-ways-to-right-the-womens-vote/ Thank you so much for supporting our podcast! New episodes are released every Sunday. Make sure to give us a follow @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram & TikTok