HEY, MARY!

A pious teen contemplates what it means to be both Catholic and gay.

Beneath the beatific gaze of a portrait of a martyr who’s reminiscent of St. Sebastian, Mark Dudyk—a “good Catholic” boy—realizes that he might be gay. Thrust into a crisis of faith, he goes searching for clarity and instead discovers the complicated relationship between Catholicism and queerness. He consults with others who have been in his place, like Jojo, a Filipino lapsed Catholic with a flair for the dramatic, who educates Mark on often-unexplored queer interpretations of certain Bible stories. Mark conjures up imaginary conversations with Catholic historical figures who explain how they defied the social norms of their time. In some cases, Mark finds open-minded views towards LGBTQ+ issues in the church, particularly in Father Teo, an understanding and tolerant young priest. In other instances, his research forces him to confront harsh truths about the church and its history of oppression that terrify him: Must he turn his back on his faith in order to be his authentic self? The text is informative in ways that at times pull readers out of the story, but this expository content will educate and provide comfort to devout young readers who are struggling with their sexual or gender identity. A full-spectrum color palette highlights the diversity of the community surrounding light-skinned, blue-eyed, blond-haired Mark.

An earnest exploration of the rocky terrain between queerness and faith.