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Justice In The Church

The Spirit Still Speaks: New Voices for Reform

On November 19, 2025 FutureChurch hosted a powerful conversation with a panel of young thinkers and activists. Moderated by Shannon K. Evans, Katie Gordon, Maxwell Kuzma, Medene Presley, and Yunuen Trujillo shared their experiences, insights, and hopes for a more just, inclusive, and Spirit-led Church.

Key points: 

  • Speaking from his perspective as a convert to Catholicism from the Afro-Pentecost tradition, Medene J.R. Presley comments on how the Church can reach out to communities it has hurt and alienated, noting that simply issuing documents isn’t enough.
  • As someone who occupies many Catholic spaces, Yunuen Trujillo addresses the need for progressive Catholics to open their minds and spaces to true intersectionality and inclusivity as one way to confront the pervasiveness of white Christian nationalism.
  • Reflecting on his journey as a transgender Catholic, Maxwell Kuzma discusses the role of personal discernment and intergenerational solidarity so that we can show up unapologetically in Catholic spaces as our true, authentic selves.
  • Katie Gordon reflects on her work with Nuns and Nuns and her relationships with different communities of women religious to share insights about how faith communities grow, evolve, and change.

More about our panelists:

Shannon K. Evans is the spirituality and culture editor at National Catholic Reporter and the author of the books The Mystics Would Like a Word, Feminist Prayers for My Daughter, and Rewilding Motherhood. With interest in ecofeminism, social change and contemplative practice, Shannon leads workshops and retreats across the country that spark curiosity and compassion. She and her family make their home in central Iowa.

  • Katie Gordon is a spiritual seeker inspired by monastic tradition. She is the Coordinator of Monasteries of the Heart, an online movement that translates Benedictine wisdom for contemporary seekers. Katie is often experimenting with new ways of co-creating community outside of traditional religious forms, including her previous projects like Nuns & Nones and the Formation Project. She is most inspired by Benedict as a model of “living otherwise” today, and writes about this and more on her Substack, Following the Monastic Impulse.
  • Maxwell Kuzma is a writer, advocate, and podcast host exploring what it means to be transgender, Catholic, and committed to justice. A columnist for National Catholic Reporter and board member of DignityUSA, he centers LGBTQ+ voices in the Church and reimagines Catholic theology through a liberatory lens. He has been interviewed by press such as the NYTimes and BBC on queer and trans Catholic identity, church reform, and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
  • Medene J.R. Presley is from Sacramento, CA; born and raised in the Afro-Pentecostal Christian tradition, but in 2018, was received into the Catholic Church while studying in seminary. He holds a Bachelors of Psychology from William Jessup University; a Masters of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology, and is currently pursuing a second Masters in Clinical Psychology at Loyola Marymount University.  Medene researches the integration of psychology and theology, moral/practical theology, and pastoral counseling.  He is the co-founder of the God Talk with Medene and James podcast.  Moreover, he is a religious educator, campus minister, and community service director at a private Catholic high school in Los Angeles.
  • Yunuen Trujillo is a lay minister, faith-based community organizer, and immigration attorney. With over 15 years of experience in young adult ministry, she currently serves as the Religious Formation Coordinator (Spanish) for the Catholic Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Persons of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Yunuen has worked with L.A. Voice PICO, a faith-based organization focused on creating a society that reflects the dignity of all, advocating for immigration reform, criminal justice reform, and increased resources for education. She is a board member of New Ways Ministry and FutureChurch. Yunuen is also the author of LGBT Catholics: A Guide to Inclusive Ministry, published in English and Spanish by Paulist Press.

Prayers: