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
Join us for a conversation with author Tyler Bieber about his new biography, Against the Current: Father Tom Oddo and the New American Catholic (Unencumbered Press, 2025). Catholic wrter and podcaster Maxwell Kuzma will moderate 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 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 portray 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.