Advent and Christmas offer LGBTQ Catholics many compelling role models for faith. So does our contemporary church. New at Outreach: outreach.faith/2025/12/who-...

Mary and Joseph, our patrons in times of stress. Looking at a traditional Christmas card or creche, with images of a peaceful Mary and Joseph, it’s easy to forget that they pushed ahead even amid intense stress...

Dear friends: Join us for Friday faith sharing and Bible study, where we will reflect on the Gospel readings for this Sunday: the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the beautiful story of Joseph's Dream. We'll start at 3 PM ET on my public Facebook page. Looking forward to your insights!

Welcome to New York, Bishop Hicks! A great choice for the Archdiocese of New York: a gifted, hard-working and compassionate pastor close to the poor, who spent time in Latin America, much like Pope Leo XIV. And thanks to Cardinal Dolan for his long service to the Archdiocese.

Outreach’s Los Angeles regional event filled with Advent joy and hope, as more than 150 people gathered at St. Monica Catholic Community for Advent Lessons and Carols—singing loudly and praying boldly, trusting in God's promise of justice this season. outreach.faith/2025/12/los-...

Happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Three U.S. bishops: Racially profiling migrants (and Americans) is a betrayal of the Gospel www.americamagazine.org/short-take/2...

Coming soon! The story of how a former paperboy, lawn mower, busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, waiter, bank teller, (sort of) stock broker and corporate tool became a Jesuit priest. Now available for pre-order from @harperonebooks.bsky.social www.harpercollins.com/pages/jamesm...

At the root of Outreach’s mission is creating a space for LGBTQ Catholics, their allies and those who minister to them to share in community. Here are some wonderful messages from our community. outreach.faith/2025/12/list...

Today is Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May you always go in prayer to Mary, our mother. Image: Lady Chapel, St. Patrick’s Cathedral

The Peaceable Kingdom: In a time of terrible discord, division and disunity, the image offered to us in the Book of Isaiah provides hope. A meditation on Edward Hicks, William Penn, Pope Leo XIV and Jesus, for the Second Sunday of Advent. www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...

More grateful than I can say for each of these wonderful people on the Outreach team: Jack Consolie, our communications and development associate; Alessandra Rose, America Media's development director; Michael O'Loughlin, the outgoing executive director and Conor Reidy, our new executive director!

From the great Richard J. Clifford, SJ, one of the world's leading biblical scholars: "Trump’s war on D.E.I. is an attack on three biblical virtues." www.americamagazine.org/short-take/2...

Thanks from all of us at Outreach for your prayers and financial support! outreach.faith/support-us/

Dear friends: I try not to ask for donations too often, but today I'm asking for some financial help for our Outreach ministry, which helps LGBTQ Catholics feel more at home in their church. And this year we have some special "prizes"! You can give here. outreach.faith/support-us/?...

The work of Outreach, the LGBTQ Catholic ministry, is not possible without your prayers and financial support. Those who donate to Outreach this Giving Tuesday will also be entered in a drawing to receive a handmade item. Thank you! outreach.faith/support-us/

Dear friends: Happy Thanksgiving! May you find gratitude in your hearts today. Here is a Thanksgiving Day prayer that I hope you find helpful. www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/1...

Can you celebrate #Thanksgiving if you're feeling hopeless or despairing? A meditation on gratitude in tough times. www.americamagazine.org/faithinfocus...

Christ is my king. But what kind of king do we find in the Gospels? Not one concerned with outward signs of power, but one that rules by way of service, poverty and humility. A meditaton on today's Solemnity outreach.faith/2025/11/chri...

Delighted to share the final, full cover of "Work in Progress." I'm so grateful to @harperonebooks.bsky.social and the designer Julia DiMarzo-Cohen for a fun cover!

Happy to share this lovely (early) review of "Work in Progress," by Publishers Weekly, often used by libraries and bookstores in helping to choose purchases. Thanks to PW for reviewing a book that takes place largely at P-W (Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School)! www.publishersweekly.com/9780062694485

Great to meet so many students, teachers and campus ministers from Catholic (mainly Jesuit) high schools and colleges at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice this weekend. Also great to hear Greg Boyle, SJ, my Jesuit brother and hero, who gives hope! #iftj @ignatiansolidarity.bsky.social

Jesus's warnings about the "end times" call us to faithfully live out our call as Christians every day. A meditation on today's powerful Gospel reading. outreach.faith/2025/11/why-...

A priest’s reflection on confession and LGBTQ Catholics outreach.faith/2025/11/a-pr...

Hahaha! Good question! www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-...

Finished today reading the audiobook of "Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool, and Priest" due out from @harperonebooks.bsky.social in February. Hope you enjoy it! More info here: www.harpercollins.com/pages/jamesm...

On her Feast Day, a video pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the remarkable woman renowned for her work with immigrants, especially in New York. Mother Cabrini, pray for us! www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDT_...

Why do we celebrate the dedication of a building today? A meditation on the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, on the Gospel reading, and on the Catholic Church, which is ever ancient, ever new. outreach.faith/2025/11/the-...

Hopeful news from Italy! outreach.faith/2025/11/ital...

Happy Feast of the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus! May they pray for you and be your models of Christian life. AMDG. Image: Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York.

News: Pope Leo XIV calls for "authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs" of people who have been detained. "Jesus says very clearly ... we're going to be asked: How did you receive the foreigner?" youtu.be/ysfd_VcE0TI?...

News: Pope Leo XIV calls for "authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs" of people who have been detained. "Jesus says very clearly ... we're going to be asked: How did you receive the foreigner?" youtu.be/ysfd_VcE0TI?...

Dear friends: Apparently, there is a scam going on with emails supposedly from me asking for donations for victims of Hurricane Melissa. These are fake. If you would like to help hurricane victims, please give directly to Catholic Relief Services here: www.crs.org/donate/hurri...

Dear friends: The Spiritual Life podcast, which just completed its first season, will be back in the New Year! In the meantime, why not catch up on the episodes you missed, on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Thanks to everyone for their support and prayers! americamagazine.org/thespiritual...

After repeatedly requesting permission and following all the official guidelines, Catholic bishop, priests, sisters and lay people were refused permission to distribute Communion to migrants in ICE detention center, on All Saints Day. A religious freedom issue: www.ncronline.org/news/ice-aga...

Jesus helps us believe in the afterlife, by telling us (as in today's Gospel), showing us that he has power over death (in the Raising of Lazarus) and revealing what eternal life is like (in the Resurrection). A meditation on All Souls Day: outreach.faith/2025/11/beli...

Delighted to share this new conversation with the incomparable writer, teacher and storyteller Brene Brown, beloved by millions. We have a wonderful conversation about God, Jesus and faith. I really appreciated her openness, vulnerability and humor! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jddN...

Why we're all in need of God's mercy. A meditation on today's Gospel: the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. outreach.faith/2025/10/on-n...

News: Pope Leo XIV to the Jesuits: "The Church needs you at the frontiers -- whether they be geographical, cultural, intellectual or spiritual. These are places of risk, where familiar maps are no longer sufficient." www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

What is spiritual direction? Where can you find a director? We're asked these questions often on "The Spiritual Life" so I'm delighted to share this new episode with Paddy Gilger, SJ, a trained director. It's a test-run episode that was so helpful we're sharing it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOmA...

What happens when we don't get what we pray for? A meditation on today's Gospel reading, the Parable of the Persistent Widow. outreach.faith/2025/10/what...

Delighted to share a conversation with Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ: Jesuit, scientist and, until recently, director of the Vatican Observatory. We talk about God, faith, reason, science, and why there is something rather than nothing at all. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE_N...

From Kevin Clarke at America: "Eucharistic procession turned back by feds at Broadview ICE detention facility" www.americamagazine.org/dispatches/2...

The person you hate is someone to help, learn from, and even find salvation from. In today's Gospel, Jesus offers us, once again, a way out of division and polarization. outreach.faith/2025/10/the-...

Honored to be invited to reflect on how "Decree 4" of the Jesuits' 32nd General Congregation changed my life. As it happens, some of these themes, especially understanding structures that keep people poor, were taken up by Pope Leo XIV in "Dilexi te" www.sjesjesuits.global/sj-testimoni...

Dear friends: "Dilexi te" is Pope Leo's rich meditation on the call from both Jesus and the church over the ages to love and care for the poor. It's an invitation to prayer and action. Take time and read it for yourself and bring it to prayer. www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

"The fact that some dismiss or ridicule charitable works, as if they were an obsession on the part of a few and not the burning heart of the Church’s mission, convinces me of the need to go back and re-read the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world.” Leo XIV in "Dilexi te"

Pope Leo XIV: "I often wonder, even though the teaching of Sacred Scripture is so clear about the poor, why many people continue to think that they can safely disregard the poor." "Dilexi te"

Delighted to share this lively (and fun!) conversation with the NYT bestselling novelist Adriana Trigiani, on the spirituality of showing up, her devotion to Mary and her love for the Eucharist. On the latest episode of "The Spiritual Life" podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7aD...

Pope Leo XIV today: "Brothers and sisters, those boats which hope to catch sight of a safe port, and those eyes filled with anguish and hope seeking to reach the shore, cannot and must not find the coldness of indifference or the stigma of discrimination!"