iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

From the head of the Catholic Culture site. Note that in this instance, the woman had more children than her male peer, in addition to being more qualified and experienced. And she was paid less. And Catholic Culture praises this. 🤷‍♂️

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I spend a lot of time unpacking spiritual abuse and other harms in the Church. When you engage in this work, how do you maintain hope? I unpack this and more with Paul Fahey in the Mezzo episode: My pastor lied…

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I have some very interesting friends. And one of those friends is Rachel Davis, an immigration attorney with a special focus on the dairy industry. You can watch our conversation on the Mezzo episode: A Catholic Interviews an Immigration Attorney

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

One of the great challenges in the world today is “the banality of evil.” So often, the worst atrocities are perpetrated by people who just look like common bureaucrats. I explore this and more with Dan Tillson in the Mezzo episodes: Two gay Catholics talk Conservatism

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Over the last couple of years, I’ve received hundreds of stories about the Catholic ministry FOCUS. I’ve heard many stories of harm and trauma, desires for healing, and hopes for change. If you want to follow along, the conversation is happening over at my IG…

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

For Laura Kelly Fanucci, the road to allyship was paved with personal suffering. From miscarriage to cancer to the death of her brother to gun violence, suffering challenged Laura to see herself in others’ suffering. More in the Mezzo episode: Minnesota Catholics respond to ICE occupation

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Our creator ecosystem is bad for creators. It can encourage isolation and exacerbate insecurities. But it’s still good to create and share. I discuss this and more with Simon Fung in the Mezzo episode: Why Christian Stories Need More Honesty

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Catholicism and socialism have a complex and evolving relationship. Catholics on both sides of our partisan divides tend to miss this. More in the Mezzo episode: Does the Catholic Church really condemn socialism?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Faith and OCD can have a complex relationship. And good therapists will know how to engage the intersection of faith and OCD, without just jumping to blaming religion. I explore this and much more with Ashley Kieffer in the Mezzo episode: From Youth Ministry to Mental Health

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

As a survivor, it can be really hard to navigate boundaries. How do you and those who support you handle the risk of both isolation and codependency? And what can Churches do better in supporting survivors. More with Katherine Mitchell in the Mezzo episode: Why so many women don’t believe women

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In many of her journal entries, Ann Frank could have been writing of the United States today. It’s a chilling reality. And an invitation for us to do something. More in the Mezzo episode: My grandfather was an “illegal immigrant”

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The Catholic ministry Courage International threatened me with legal action, which resulted in me uncovering a child sexual abuser among its leadership. I’m talking about all this because I believe the Church can do better, and I want to be part of that.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I watched my friend’s father die. And it challenged how I tell stories. I explore this and more in my conversation with Simon Fung, creator of the acclaimed Dear Alana podcast. Now available in the Mezzo episode: Why Christian stories need more honesty

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Forgiveness and freedom go hand in hand. Forgiveness enables freedom. But forgiveness also presupposes a sense of freedom. And we lose both when we lose sight of either. I discuss this and more with James Alison in the Mezzo episode: Catholicism is for Bad People

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Not me being the child that gets all of dad’s attention! 😏🐑💅

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Hanging out with influencers can be terrible. Staying sane while having a public social media life requires good boundaries. And the boundaries can help determine whether someone matches their public person. We discuss this in the Mezzo episode: Navigating Niche Internet Fame

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

In his political fervor, Bishop Robert Barron has had an odd tendency to misrepresent both socialism and Catholic teaching… You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Does the Catholic Church Really Condemn Socialism?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Cardinal Raymond Burke recently shared that Christians should be ready for “martyrdom” in defense of marriage and family. He’s right. This martyrdom is already happening at the hands of the United States government.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

I’ve worked with US bishops in a range of capacities. I recall working with one who was considered among the best in handling issues of abuse. My interactions with him were shocking and disappointing… I unpack this and more with Paul Fahey in the Mezzo episode: My Pastor Lied

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

LGBTQ+/SSA ministries in the Church are rife with sexually explicit content. For a lot of younger people, these spaces can be the first time they’re exposed to things like “cruising.” We explore this and more in the Mezzo episode: Bizarre Things My Conversion Therapist Told Me to Do

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Like many of my followers, I’ve had to grapple with experiences of sexual violence in the Church. How do we heal and move forward? I explore this and more in the Mezzo episode: Betrayed by Catholic Studies

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Religious fundamentalism drives a deep fear of the other. It leads to dysregulation and makes for weird interactions. But these are all things we can work through… We discuss this and much more in the Mezzo episode: From Youth Ministry to Mental Health

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

When certain Catholics write about spirituality, they can get really sexual in really weird ways… We discuss this and much more in the Mezzo episode: Catholics discuss the Supreme Court's decision on conversion therapy

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Various forms of conversion therapy, promoted by leaders such as Bob Schuchts, are prevalent throughout the Church. With this prevalence frequently comes a rejection of key Christian theological teachings. More in the Mezzo episode: The Complete History of Conversion Therapy in the Catholic Church

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The next frontier of AI disclosures: having to ask people you’re dating how they use AI in relationships…

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

As I spoke with Rachel Davis about her Jewish upbringing, we were able to see how the situation in the US today is very different from Nazi Germany. But there are many similarities... You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: A Catholic Interviews an Immigration Attorney

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

When Shannon, Patty, and Colleen first got involved with Blessed is She, they found a widespread hunger for Christian ministry for and by women. But then things changed over time… You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: How a Catholic ministry betrayed its own leaders

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

When supporting others, especially as Christians, we can be tempted to try to save them. But if we really want to help, we need to choose humility instead. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Why So Many Women Don’t Believe Women

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Want to do something subversive in the age of AI? Read a book this year.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Eros has always been filled with anxieties across the western philosophical tradition. Christianity encourages a creative pathway, not against eros, but through it. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Does Catholicism really forbid LGBT people from falling in love?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

In his book Made for Love, you’ll find two books by Ignatius Press that Father Mike Schmitz recommends. One is a conversion therapy guide. The other is by a former Courage speaker who disappeared from the spotlight after being accused of a multi-year sexual predatory relationship with a child…

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Another update. God’s not dead. But I am dead. 💀

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Our president has done what he can to fill our 250th anniversary with kitsch, dysfunction, and lies. But we don’t have to be stuck in them. A little skiing lesson helps show us where to focus.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

The Statue of Liberty was erected to commemorate the centennial of the founding of the United States of America. And the poem chosen for her pedestal reminds us of what truly makes America great. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: My grandfather was an “illegal immigrant”

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

In his conversation with Kim Zember, Father Mike Schmitz’s attempt to answer whether you can identify as gay and Catholic was a word salad with all the toppings, where initially he didn’t even answer the question. And that should tell us something.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

In his conversation with Kim Zember on Catholicism and homosexuality, Father Mike Schmitz shows how he’s not just more Catholic than the pope. He’s actually more Catholic than five popes!

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Various Vatican documents have been critical of trans identities. But they don’t seem to understand actual trans people. So trans Catholics can just ignore a lot of what they have to say… You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Why Catholic arguments against transgender people don’t work

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

In their discussion on Catholicism and homosexuality, Father Mike Schmitz and Kim Zember take some time to compare eating disorders to being gay…

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Shannon names two key events as catalysts for her journey to self-trust and a deepening relationship with Mary: institutional betrayal and an unexpected pregnancy. You can watch our full discussion on the Mezzo episode: How a Catholic ministry betrayed its own leaders

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Did you catch how, in their video for the “Here I Am Stories” series, Father Mike Schmitz and Kim Zember engaged in spiritual abuse in the form of abuse of conscience?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

If you’re getting trolled by a homophobe, might I recommend this response that both got rid of the troll and also raised money for a good cause? lol

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

You’ve probably heard of the 2005 Vatican document “banning homosexual seminarians.” But how authoritative is that document? I explore this and much more with canon lawyer Dan Quinan in the Mezzo episode: Can gay men be ordained Catholic priests?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I’m trying to think through why so many Catholic apologists, in their efforts to get Church teaching right, often get it so wrong when applied to real lives. I think it’s because they have a narrow view of moral reasoning, one which leaves them susceptible to being replaceable by AI.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Should Catholic seminaries admit gay men? I explore this question and more through a canonical lens in the latest Mezzo episode with Dan Quinan! Out now!

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Why do Christian communities struggle so much to listen to suffering?

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The Catholic Church teaches that wealthy people who withhold from the poor are *literally* stealing from them. Just fyi.

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Augustine and Aquinas are famous for viewing women… in not the highest light. But is this all the Church has to say about marriage, friendship, and the creation of woman? You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: What ‘Traditional Marriage’ Actually Meant

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

According to the Catechism, chastity requires… a living wage? Find out more in the Mezzo episode: What Catholics get wrong about chastity

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Chris Damian @cdamianwrites.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Even when you’re actively fighting for your neighbors, you can still struggle with guilt that you’re not doing more. I had the privilege of unpacking this and much more with Laura Fanucci and Jacqui Skemp. You can learn more in the Mezzo episode: Minnesota Catholics respond to ICE occupation

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