June 1, 2026
Your Excellency,
To briefly introduce myself, I am Michael Kioni Dudley, Ph.D. I was one of the twenty-four theologians across the world who were chosen by the Synodal Study Group #9 to comment on their Document on changes to the Church’s teaching on homosexuality before they submitted it to Pope Leo XIV. I had sent them an earlier version of the accompanying paper, “A Fresh Look at Homosexuality in the Bible.” Their invitation, found on the third page of this letter, is a recognition of my paper and of its value, and recognition of me as a “competent and qualified expert” by the Synodal Study Group.
Pope Leo has said that, seeing the polarization that LGBTQ topics caused in the Synod, we must change attitudes ahead of changing any doctrine on sexuality. In the hope of changing attitudes, I am sending copies of this paper to all of the bishops, archbishops, and Cardinals in the United States, as well as to the Holy Father.
The stand the Church has taken opposing same-sex attraction, love, and sexual union has grown through the centuries, becoming ever stronger, more embedded in doctrine, and more widely accepted as unchangeable truth. This has caused theologians to avoid study of anything that might contradict it. The result has been that in our time, tremendously important facts go unnoticed and fundamental truths remain hidden–stunning facts like there truly is no place in the Old Testament or in the New Testament that condemns ordinary same-sex attraction, togetherness, and copulation as sinful. Or the fact that condemnation of same-sex lifestyle was introduced in the early Church by early teachers, not the Scriptures, possibly because of their own personal heterosexual repulsion by, and prejudice against, the homosexual way of life. It also is never mentioned today that these early, man-made, not God-given, teachings were not followed consistently in every place and in every time throughout the last 2000 years.
The accompanying paper discusses all of these things. It contains so many things that will be completely new to you, things that turn accepted teaching on its head. You will want theologians you trust to verify the facts. But don’t allow them to give you current doctrine or opinions from their current thought framework. Force them to take a fresh look at the Hebrew and Greek words in the Scriptures. Insist that they approach what is written from a totally unbiased view. It will be brutal for them. The deeper they go, and the more that they study, the more difficult it will be, because the truth they will find will contradict everything they have been teaching. I ask you to not let them stop until you are completely satisfied. If and when you ultimately agree with what the paper says, I ask that you consider disseminating it among the priests in your diocese, among all of the Biblical scholars and moral theologians at your universities, and among other bishops you might know in foreign lands. The article is available for all at https://a-fresh-look-at-homosexuality-in-the-Bible.com.
More about myself: I lived as a teaching Brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross for fifteen years. I hold a Master of Arts degree in Catholic Theology from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, and a Master of Arts degree in Asian Philosophy, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Hawai’i. I taught Religion at Chaminade University of Honolulu for eight years and in the University of Hawai’i system for sixteen years. I am homosexual. I am 86 years old.
I must also state that this has not been my lifelong field of study. I have, however, been shown important things in dreams and inspirations, long before others were aware of them, all of my life, and I have been able to show the way to safety and success many times. I believe these insights have been from God. My study of this topic over the last four years began with such an inspiration, and progressed as more new thoughts guided me. I also want it openly stated that I have used Microsoft Copilot AI in my research, which sometimes gives contradictory answers. I have verified all of the facts by studying their Scriptural texts.
Finally, I want to note that such unbelievably terrible things have happened because of the teachings of the Church on homosexuality. Governments have ordered public thrashings, imprisonment, and execution of homosexuals. Billions of homosexuals, in generation after generation over the last two thousand years, have suffered rejection, exclusion, taunting, insults, homophobic hatred, threats, beatings, and even murder because of the Church teaching. And for so many, this treatment from outside has been accompanied by interior struggle with Church condemnation, self-condemnation, and self-hatred, ending too often in suicide. We really must bring this to an end as soon as possible. The truth must become known. Church teaching must change. I beg you to open yourself to what is here.
If you have any comments about the paper, or if you can suggest ways to get it to bishops worldwide, or help with doing that, I would be happy to hear from you.
Dr. Kioni Dudley
Michael Kioni Dudley, Ph.D.
92-1365 Hauone Street
Kapolei, Hawai’I 96707 USA
Cellphone: (808) 469-5713
E-mail: DrKioniDudley@hawaii.rr.com
Invitation from Synod Study Group 9 to Comment on Final Document
From: Carlo Casalone <casalone.c@gesuiti.it>
Sent: Sunday, December 7, 2025 10:26 PM
To: DrKioniDudley@hawaii.rr.com
Subject: Invitation to the Synod Group 9 Seminar – Choose and Save the Date
Good morning to everyone from Rome!
I am writing to you as coordinator of Study Group 9, one of the ten groups established by Pope Francis after the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, in March 2024 (cf. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/03/14/0212/00454.html). Our Group theme is: “Theological and synodal methodological criteria for shared discernment of controversial doctrinal, pastoral, and ethical issues.”
Over the past months, we have drafted a preliminary version of the text, which will be submitted to Pope Leo by the end of February 2026. We do not yet know whether the text will remain reserved for the Pope or be made public, as was the case with the interim report of our work (cf. https://www.synod.va/en/the-synodal-process/phase-3-the-implementation/the-study-groups/interim-reports/group-9.html).
Before proceeding with the final draft, we wish to receive feedback from a number of competent and qualified experts. For this reason, we have scheduled an online seminar of approximately two and a half hours, with about twelve participants each. We would like to ask you to participate in one of the seminars, on either of the following dates: Tuesday, January 13 or Tuesday, January 20 (both at 2:00 p.m. CET).
We will dispose a simultaneous translation in 3 languages: Italian, English, and Spanish (if needed maybe we can add French).
If you are able to accept the invitation, as we sincerely hope, we kindly ask you to confirm your availability by replying to this email and indicating your preferred date. In early January, you will receive the text (approximately fifteen pages long) along with a few questions that will help guide your feedback.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Peace,
fr. Carlo Casalone sj
Group 9 coordinator
* * * * *
P. Carlo Casalone SJ
Pontificia Università Gregoriana – Roma
Fondazione Carlo Maria Martini
Piazza san Fedele 4 – 20121 Milano
www.fondazionecarlomariamartini.it