Catholic Theological Society of America honors self-described queer theologian

July 15, 2026

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CWN Editor's Note: The Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) bestowed its highest honor, the John Courtney Murray Award, on Father Bryan Massingale, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and professor at Fordham University.

“I stand before you as both a Black theologian and a publicly gay/queer/same-gender loving one,” Father Massingale said as he received the award on July 13.

He added:

Recall that not so long ago, staff from the USCCB’s doctrine committee joined the CTSA and monitored any convention session that examined topics concerning human sexuality. Repressive conditions led many of us to suppress who we are and camouflaged how we love.

Tonight’s honor is bigger than me, for it is a recognition of a new kind of theologian for the church: publicly identified LGBTQ Catholic theologians, doing Catholic theology for the sake of the Church and its understanding of God. We have always been here. Tonight we now have a visibility, acknowledgment and recognition never before granted.

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• Posted by: feedback - Today 8:46 AM ET USA

  When a man describes himself as "a publicly gay/queer/same-gender loving one," it could mean one of two situations in his life: 1. That he is chaste but consumed by endless desires for acts of sodomy, or 2. That he is just an active homosexual. None of the two options is reconcilable with the Catholic priesthood. And none is deserving award from the theologians of The Catholic Theological Society of America. Unless they all care more about pushing the gay agenda than worry about causing scandal.