Twenty-two priests from around the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston attended the first in a series of educational Clergy Lunches on campus sponsored by Catholic Studies.

UST's Kevin Stuart, director of Catholic Studies, assistant professor of Political Science, and director of the Master's in Public Policy and Administration, spoke on the topic of “A Pastoral Approach to Gender Identity: What Does the Science Say?”  

"Priests want to know the truth, above all, and they want to know how to guide families with compassion," Stuart said. "Cutting through the thicket of junk science, what emerges is that good data and science are consistent with the truth of the faith regarding sexuality and gender."

Stuart notes in his talk that he is a political scientist rather than an endocrinologist, but knowledgeable on the subject matter as a result of the time he spent as president of Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture, a social science research institute in Austin, Texas. He has also been called as an expert to testify before the Texas legislature on five occasions regarding these issues.

Fr. Bart Reynolds, a former UST board member and the current pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, helped coordinate the first of these twice-a-semester luncheons to provide ongoing education for the priests of the Archdiocese.

Dr. Tom Harmon, associate director of UST Catholic Studies, said, "These talks will focus on a topic that has an intellectual angle but is something that has direct relevance for their priestly ministry. The gatherings will also provide an opportunity for fellowship among the priests, to connect the clergy to the University, and to introduce them to UST programs and faculty."