Queer and Catholic

How does one reconcile the tension between the community of one’s own Catholic upbringing and a sexuality and gender identity that may be in conflict with some of the tenets of the faith – especially when one is a member of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex community? Queer and Catholic offers a source of comfort to members of these communities, focusing on not only practicing Catholics, but also the entire experience of growing up Catholic. This unique book discusses Catholicism beyond its religiosity and considers its implications as a culture of origin. This widely varied and entertaining book pulls together a comprehensive collection of essays, stories, and poetry that together represent an honest and engaging reflection of being a queer person within the Catholic experience.

Amie M. Evans is a widely published, creative nonfiction and literary erotica writer, experienced workshop provider, and a retired burlesque and high-femme drag performer. Her short stories and essays have appeared most recently in Entangled Lives: Erotic Memoirs; Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2006; Show and Tell; Call of the Dark; 2006 Lambda Literary Award nominated Rode Hard and Put Away Wet; Best of the Best of Lesbian Erotica 2; and Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2005. She also writes gay male erotica under a pen name. Evans is on the board of directors for Saints and Sinners GLBTQ literary festival. She graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in literature and is currently working on her MLA at Harvard. She is the author of “Two Girls Kissing,” a column on writing lesbian erotica, which can be found at www .erotic-readers.com and is co-author of a writing tips column, “Unsolicited Advice,” with Toni Amato, which can be found at www.sasfest .org.

Trebor Healey is the recipient of the 2004 Ferro-Grumley and Violet Quill awards for his first novel, Through It Came Bright Colors (The Haworth Press), and is also the author of five poetry chapbooks and a collection of poems, Sweet Son of Pan. His short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals, ’zines, anthologies, and reviews, including The Chiron Review; Long Shot; The James White Review; Van Gogh’s Ear; Holy Titclamps; The Lodestar Quarterly; The BlitheHouseQuarterly; VelvetMafia.com; Ashe!; Queer Dharma; Signs of Life; When I Knew; Quickies 3; M2M; Wilma Loves Betty; Out of Control; Pills, Thrills, Chills and Heartache; Skin and Ink; Best Gay Erotica 2003, 2004, 2006; Best Gay Erotic 2; and Best American Erotica 2007. Healey wrote a hit single for the Homocore punk band, Pansy Division, and was awarded a writing residency at the Morris Graves Foundation in 2004. He lives in Los Angeles. www.treborhealey.com.

Trebor Healey's Preface. Amie M. Evan's Preface. Acknowledgments. APOSTATES. The Fifteenth Station. Austin J. Austin. Objective Disorder. Gregory Woods. Excerpts from The End of the World Book. Alistair McCartney. Two Poems: “Noose” and “Tattoo”. Susan McDonough-Hintz. The Erotic Education of Elmer Rosewater. Ernest Posey. HERETICS. Jesus Is My Father. A. Lizbeth Babcock. I Was Always a Marian Heretic. Trebor Healey. Binding the God. Jeff Mann. Hail Mary. Mallory Hanora. Two Poems “Just Like Jesus” and “Bastard”. Emanuel Xavier. Fragments from a Catholic School Girl’s Memory. Amie M. Evans. The Tree and the Cross. Louis Flint Ceci. Presión Bajo Gracia. Charlie Vazquez. PRIESTS. Father Tongue. Thomas Burke. Priests. Ramón García. Chain of Fools. Kevin Killian. Lesbian Catechism: Samplings from a Life. Mary Beth Caschetta. Fully Human, Fully Alive. Salvatore Sapienza. Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa. Helen Boyd. NUNS. Don’t Sing: Growing Up Lesbian in Catholic School. Maria V. Ciletti. Hive. Beth Kiplinski. A Nun Story. Susan Leonardi. My Heart, Also Sacred. Nora Nugent. Vague Recollections. Doreen Perrine. Good Habits to Hang On To. An Interview with Sister Soami of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. SAINTS. Ritual, Wonder, and Miracles. Vince Sgambati. Queer Thoughts On Catholic Bodies. Anthony Easton. Series of One. Lisa M. Kelley. Holy Scenes. Emma Day Jones. Dance or Die. Jim Leija. Reclaiming the Power of Incarnation: When God’s Body Is Catholic and Queer. Jane M. Grovijahn. ANGELS. Sacramentals. Wesley A. Russell. He Wore a Yellow Tulip. Tom Spanbauer. Once Upon a Cross. Therese Szymanski. The Prisoners. Ed Wolf. Easter Sunday, St. Francis Xavier. Stephen Greco. A Cry for Vengeance. J. R. G. De Marco. excerpts from the journal of a canonical bastard. Pansy Bradshaw. About the Editors. Contributors.