Catholic ‘Conversion Therapy’ Tales of Harm

Amidst the ongoing U.S. Supreme Court case in which a conservative Christian counselor is suing to overturn a state ban on  conversion therapy, the Bay Area Reporter interviewed several queer current and former Catholics to hear the stories of how conversion therapy and anti-LGBTQ religious messages has impacted their lives and faith. Each, in their own way, now works to reach out to those who have been similarly impacted by conversion therapy within Catholicism. Below are some excerpts from their interviews.

Cade Bradley

Cade Bradley, 23, became involved with Catholic traditionalism while in middle school. At that time, being a part of this movement which opposes many of the the institution’s Vatican II changesseemed to bring a sense of structure and certainty to his life. Bradley explained:

“I had trouble making friends. I didn’t know my place in the world, struggled with sexuality, and didn’t know what to do about being gay…[Traditionalism] gave structure to daily life and it felt like every moment of every day, I was changing the stakes of the world, praying and evangelizing and reading books … and feeling I was a superhero on a mission from God in a certain sense.”

However, constantly wrestling with his sense of identity and the conflicting theology taught by the movement took its toll on Bradley, and he ultimately felt he had no choice but to leave the Catholic Church at age 21. 

Aware of so many others like him involved in the traditionalist movement and struggling with their own identities, Bradley now uses social media to try to reach out to those who need it most. He now explores themes of queer identity and Catholicism in his podcast, “Intrinsically Ordered,” through which he hopes his past experience will allow him to create dialogue and present opportunities for change.

Evelyn Lundy

Evelyn Lundy produces TikTok content and hosts a podcast, “Leave Laugh Love,” concerning her journey of critically examining her religious beliefs after leaving the Catholic charismatic and covenant communities due to her relationship with another woman. For Lundy, the importance of sharing her story is in letting others know that they are not alone. “There are other ways of living your life that will also be completely happy,” she said. 

Stan “JR” Zerkowski, a gay man who directs LGBTQ+ ministry for the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, and also the Catholic LGBTQ+ affinity group Fortunate Families, has observed an increasing number of young people becoming involved in the Church, and he notes that Lundy and Bradley’s experience of traditionalist Catholicism is not an isolated one.  He points out:

“There’s a growing number of young people in my experience, in my ministry, attracted to traditional Catholicism. I think it’s because they just want answers. They’re tired of wrestling.”

Several individuals interviewed explained that this experience of turmoil and desire for concrete answers from religious institutions drives many to undergo conversion therapy, which specifically draws upon those religious struggles in order to draw people in.

Simon Fung

Simon Fung, a 41-year-old gay Catholic from Denver, hosted the Dear Alana podcast, which told the story of a young girl who died by suicide after years of conversion therapy. According to Fung, several programs that are rooted in ex-gay theory and practice now disavow the label of conversion therapy  due to the ‘stigma’ now associated with the practice butstill adhereto the same goal of ‘converting’ individuals to be cisgender and heterosexual,

Christopher Damian

Christopher Damian, a 34-year-old gay Catholic writer, likewise argues that conversion therapy is now being presented in more coded ways within Catholic circles, ways that he has encountered throughout his life as a gay Catholic publicly speaking about his experience. 

For some, like Bradley and Lundy, the wounds from exposure to conversion therapy and certain conservative Catholic movements have prompted them towards sharing their stories in the hopes of reaching others in a similar situation, primarily through social media. The hope is not to persuade people to leave the Church, Bradley says, but rather to “deradicalize” their attitudes. 

For others, like Fung and Damian, healing from these experiences has led to a deepening of faith, coupled with a mission to critically and constructively engage with the Church’s teaching and attitudes. 

“I’m still someone deeply interested in and appreciative of the Catholic tradition, including the Catholic theological tradition,” Damian said. “But I don’t see the hardline Catholic position on sexuality, as presented by today’s most outspoken rightwing leaders, to be conducive to a flourishing sexually integrated life today.”

Fung, who also remains Catholic, feels his faith deepening and growing despite his experiences. He says he is finding a new way to understand faith:

“A large part of that is the theology and formation it offers us is, for lack of a better word, kind of a shortcut to faith .It presents the faith as something you can belong to as long as you follow a prescribed set of rules and beliefs, and I think what I’ve come to discover is faith is something that’s much bigger and more mysterious. Not that those aren’t important, it’s a limited way of conceiving the faith, what it means to be Catholic. … A lot of people are reaching the limits of what that is able to offer.”

—Phoebe Carstens, New Ways Ministry, Octobee 24, 2025