New Ways Ministry’s Gathering of Bishops and LGBTQ+ Folk Made Synodality Real

Today’s post gives the reflections of one of the panelists at one of New Ways Ministy’s gatherings for bishops and LGBTQ+ people and church professionals and practitioners. For more details about the event, check out yesterday’s post by clicking here.

What did it feel like to be part of  New Ways Ministry’s recent gathering for some U.S. bishops to meet with LGBTQ+ people, as well as some pastoral ministers, theologians, and medical personnel to discuss issues concerning LGBTQ+ issues?

One of the speakers was Yuneun Trujillo, a Catholic LGBTQ+ woman, lay minister and author who is also a member of New Ways Ministry’s Board of Directors.  She spoke to the bishops about ministering with the Hispanic community about LGBTQ+ people.  She has also written an article for U.S. Catholic entitled “Bishops meet with LGBTQ+ Catholics, showcasing true synodality,” in which she discusses what it felt like to be at the meeting.  One of her overall reactions was:

“Throughout the gathering, what stood out was not only the content of the discussions, but the spirit in which they unfolded. One bishop remarked that ‘we need to get good theology outside of the echo chamber,’ while another encouraged his peers to invite other bishops to future meetings, noting that organizations like New Ways Ministry are ‘a resource . . . not a threat.’ There was a recognition that listening—to stories, to lived experiences—is not peripheral to the church’s mission, but central to it.”

Her article summarized the focus of the four panels that structured the meeting:

“The first panel focused on pastoral ministry. The conversation quickly grounded itself in lived realities: LGBTQ+ students navigating single-sex Catholic schools, church employees balancing authenticity while working within the institution, and the particular dynamics of Hispanic LGBTQ+ ministry.. . . .

“The second day began with a panel of gay priests and lesbian religious sisters. Their witness was both tender and prophetic. A recurring theme was the cost of secrecy and the freedom found in authenticity. . . .

“The third panel centered on transgender and nonbinary experiences, bringing together a transgender Catholic, a theologian, and a practicing endocrinologist. The conversation moved fluidly between history, theology, and a discussion of health care. We heard how gender diversity has existed across cultures and throughout history and how contemporary medical care is highly individualized. . . .

“The final panel turned to theology: anthropological questions, natural law, and the implications of the revised religious directives for Catholic health-care services. The discussion was rigorous, and the bishops engaged with notable interest, especially around how certain frameworks fail to account for the lived reality of transgender persons. Much of the Q&A reflected a genuine grappling with complexity.”

The event was a true manifestation of syndality, Trujillo said, and bishops and panelists were equally and mutually impacted:

“Multiple bishops spoke of the gathering as an opportunity for humility and mutual learning. One described it as ‘a safe space . . . created by the Spirit,’ while another reflected on the unexpected joy that permeated even the most difficult conversations. There was also a candid acknowledgment of the broader reality: ‘We live in a time when there is a hungry church out there, but the people with hunger have left the church.’

“Panelists, for their part, expressed gratitude simply for being heard. They spoke not as adversaries, but as collaborators—people who love the church and want to help it grow. ‘We want to help our church,’ one shared. ‘How can our small ways be of assistance?'”

Trujillo closed her article with a description of a spirit of true synodality which was present at the meeting.

“By the end of the three days, there were no sweeping resolutions or public statements—nor were there meant to be. But something real had taken place. Relationships had formed. Assumptions had been challenged. And perhaps most importantly, a space had been created where the Spirit could move freely—through listening, vulnerability, and a shared commitment to a more inclusive and faithful church. This bishops’ meeting was the third organized by New Ways Ministry—and there will be more to come.

“If synodality is about walking together, then for those few days in Wisconsin, we did just that.”

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, April 25, 2026