Thursday, July 23, 2026
5 pm Pacific/6 pm Mountain/7 pm Central/8 pm Eastern
Co-hosted by LGBTQ-RAN and New Ways Ministry
Watch our recent conversation with author Tyler Bieber about his new biography, Against the Current: Father Tom Oddo and the New American Catholic (Unencumbered Press, 2025). Catholic writer and podcaster Maxwell Kuzma moderated this presentation about Father Tom Oddo (1944–1989), an early leader of DignityUSA and a key figure in the fight for LGBTQ rights. Oddo was also a prominent leader in higher education, serving as president of the University of Portland from 1982 until his tragic death in a car crash in 1989. Bieber draws on intimate interviews, personal archives, and never-before-seen documents to tell the compelling story of this courageous leader and activist, who lived within the confines of tradition yet embodied hope, resilience, and a new vision of Catholicism.
Tyler Bieber is a queer higher education professional based in Portland, Oregon. He is currently the Assistant Registrar at Willamette University's Pacific Northwest College of Art. He holds a BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences from The Evergreen State College and an MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of Portland.
Maxwell Kuzma is a writer, host of the Whiplash podcast, and advocate for LGBTQ inclusion in the Catholic Church. He’s a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, board member of DignityUSA, and has been interviewed by national media on issues related to transgender identity within Catholicism. He lives on a hobby farm in Ohio with his partner.