Summer 2026

Editorial

Listening deeply

In his first encyclical (Magnifica humanitas) his Holiness Pope Leo XIV stated that “the Church cannot consider herself a stranger to the forces shaping society”. Indeed, he goes on, “she recognizes today’s questions and challenges as the current setting in which to carry out her particular vocation of listening”. As we set out on our own to discover particular questions and challenges in the context of lived religion and LGBTQ+ –from different angles, and with the help of different ears– we begin to recognize the impact of these forces currently shaping society. By becoming intimate with aspects of the res novae that remain unheard, pulsating sharply beneath layers of silence, we practice a form of deep listening; in doing so, we contribute ultimately to the creation of proper conditions for the human experience to stop being disposable and become, once more, truly heard.

Eric Tomasini

Latest Activities

On May 11^th, our PANIC colleague Matt Whiffen was able to visit the Women’s Documentation, Research and Initiative Centre in Bologna. Hosted by the archivist, Dr Cora Benetti, he was introduced to the extensive collection of material on the history of feminist movements and forms of political, social and cultural resistance in the Italian context from the 1970s to the present day. One particular highlight was the opportunity to engage with intersectional and LGBTQ+ perspectives within the collection, which have a long history in the Italian context.

As part of the visit, Matt was also shown the Italian Women’s Library, a collection of over 40,000 items, including books, journal collections, magazines and digital records. The Library, which was founded over 40 years ago, houses an extensive collection of feminist, LGBTQ+ and intersectional material, the only one of its kind in Italy. There was also an opportunity to meet the director of the Library, Anna Pramstrahler, and discuss the history of the institution and its importance as a reference collection at the national and international level. Future collaborative activities between PANIC and the Library and Archive were discussed.

Since April 2nd, in Religion and Gender you can find the article online ahead of print (2026) by Giorgio Maria Millesimi “I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me”: Reimagining LGBTQ+ Catholic Identity in 21st-Century Italy” at https://doi.org/10.1163/18785417-bja10024.

Also, a book chapter titled “Theologisch-ethischer Kommentar zur Erklärung Fiducia supplicans im Horizont der Entwicklung katholischen Morallehre” written by Nenad Polgar appears in Theologische Genderstudien oder Genderbewusste Theologie? Ein Forschungsfeld in Bewegung, (pp. 197–216), recently published by Alber-Verlag in Freiburg/Nomos, Freiburg.

Last but not least, on May 21st, Prismatisch geloven was finally launched! Stakeholders, students and colleagues of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven gathered to discover for the first time our newest collective publication.

Conferences

Annemie Dillen gave the lecture “Barrieren überwinden. Wenn queere Gläubige auf Kirche treffen” at the German Catholic Convention Katholikentag on May 13th-17th in Würzburg. She was also one of the members of the discussion panel Para todos! Todos, todos, todos! – LGBTQ+ in de kerk at Amen-en nu festival Antwerpen, on May 30th.

Five researchers –one from each Research Unit, two postdocs and three pre-docs including Jade Willaert– along with Prof. Peter De Mey, the Vice-Dean of Internationalization, were asked to represent our Faculty and to participate in the Junior Researchers’ seminar within the thematic group of Theology and Religious Studies at the League of European Research Universities (LERU) meeting in Helsinki from June 14th-17th.

And currently held in Rome, the 2026 European Academy of Religion annual conference includes a panel on “Ecclesial inequalities and opportunities in a synodal Church” where Giorgio is presenting a paper on the topic of homonormativity and queer reimaginings of the Italian Church.

Outreach

At the May 14th-17th annual retreat of the association Carrefour des Chrétiens Inclusifs for LGBTQ+ Christians from France, Belgium and Switzerland, Eric Tomasini led a 2-day workshop on the topic of “Indecent Theology and Marcella Althaus-Reid”. The workshop included a theoretical overview of Queer Theology and its genesis, the specificity of Marcella Althaus-Reid’s philosophical vision, debates, group discussions and sharing personal reflections around experiences of neurodivergence, desire, faith and queer bodies.

One of the crucial moments of the workshop was to think in small groups about personal experiences related to embodiment and imago Dei. This process of introspection around the personal significance of the body of Christ for the queer community was meaningful, as it moves beyond duality and binary thinking: as Elizabeth Stuart expresses in Religion is a Queer Thing, A Guide to the Christian Faith for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Persons, “the chief characteristic of this body is its extraordinary diversity– all sexes, sexualities, races, classes are part of it, the decent and the indecent.”

Readings

As one of the activities of KU Leuven’s Pride Week, on June 10th a Reading Group was co-hosted by Dr.Nella van den Brandt and Eric. Participants discussed the book Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, an award-winning author from Dublin whose novel explores themes of grief, family, and queer identity in the context of Irish Catholicism. The novel was shortlisted for the 2025 Waterstones Debut Prize.