Mark is a good Catholic boy. He goes to church, he says his prayers, and he spends too much time worrying about hell. When Mark realizes he has a crush on another boy in his school, he struggles to reconcile his feelings with his faith as the weight of centuries of shame and judgment—and his fear of his parents’ response—presses on his shoulders. Mark seeks advice from his priest, as well as a local drag performer, but also receives unexpected input from key figures in Catholic history and lore, including Joan of Arc, Michelangelo, St. Sebastian, and Savonarola. Ultimately, only Mark can answer the question: Is it possible for him to be both Catholic and gay?
“Faith is not something you get up to at the weekend,” said writer Andrew Wheeler. “Being raised in the Catholic Church is not just about Sundays and holy days; it’s every day. My family was Catholic, my community was Catholic, my school was Catholic, and I was Catholic, absolutely and to my core. Realizing that I was also gay as a teenager meant finding ways to reconcile my relationships with all those parts of my life, because my queerness and my Catholicism are both indelible to my identity. Writing HEY, MARY! has been part of that lifelong process of reconciliation, and a chance to talk out in the open about that process in a way that can hopefully resonate for people with similar experiences.”
Hey, Mary!
Writer: Andrew Wheeler
Art: Rye Hickman
Release Date: April 15, 2025
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