Description
The most influential gay activist you’ve never heard of.
Father Thomas Oddo, (1944–1989)—known simply as “Father Tom”—pioneered LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. In the wake of Stonewall and the Second Vatican Council, he forged a path for those seeking a space where faith and identity could coexist. At just 29 years old, he was an early national leader of DignityUSA, positioning himself as a key figure in the fight for civil rights. By 38, he became President of the University of Portland, a rising academic star poised to transform higher education. A tragic car accident cut his life short at 45, but his story and his legacy continue to impact the course of the Church today.
In Against the Current: Father Tom Oddo and the New American Catholic Tyler Bieber offers a compelling biography based on intimate interviews, personal archives, and never-before-seen documents. The book explores encounters with celebrities, politicians, and Pope John Paul II while diving into themes of hope, resilience, and loss. It reveals a forgotten chapter of American history, a story of courage within the confines of tradition, and a meditation on redemption, identity, and the future of Catholicism.
For readers of LGBTQ+ history, modern Catholicism, and untold stories of activism, this legacy is waiting to be uncovered.
About the Author
TYLER BIEBER is a queer higher education professional based in Portland, OR. He has held roles at Clark College, National University of Natural Medicine, Linfield University School of Nursing, and Oregon School of Massage. He is currently the Assistant Registrar at Willamette University’s Pacific Northwest College of Art. Tyler holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts & Sciences from The Evergreen State College and an M.A. in Higher Education & Student Affairs from the University of Portland.
Stephanie Johnson Lawson –
“I loved getting to know Tom better. Until now, he hasn’t received the attention he most definitely deserves.” —Brian McNaught, author of A Prince of a Boy: How One Gay Catholic Helped Change the World
Stephanie Johnson Lawson –
In his marvelous new biography, Against The Current, Tyler Bieber recounts the extraordinary life of the Catholic priest, educator, and leader, Rev. Thomas Oddo, CSC. Bieber’s exhaustive and painstaking research draws heavily from primary sources, including archival material, interviews, and handwritten notes created decades ago by his subject. Bieber weaves a tale that parallels the story of Catholicism in America during times of seismic change following the Second World War and the Second Vatican Council. Bieber’s through-line is Oddo’s daily effort to live the Gospel and encourage others by example to do the same. Bieber’s narrative never drags, and his style is vivid, direct, and plain, making for easy reading as the reader turns the pages wanting more. It helps that his subject’s personal qualities include humility, loveability, athleticism, honesty, innovation, fearlessness, and passion for selfless service to people. This is the best nonfiction work about the Church’s struggle to maintain relevance in times of upheaval since Charles Morris’s American Catholic. —Dan Lawton, author of Above The Ground: A True Story of the Troubles in Northern Ireland
Stephanie Johnson Lawson –
“So much of Father Tom’s story from decades ago resonates with our modern context—questions of peace, the meaning of faith in a changing world, and the relationship between the Catholic Church and LGBTQ+ people… Against the Current is a powerful reminder that the path I have walked is well-trodden and so many others have come before. It is a moving tribute to the enduring legacy of Father Tom Oddo and the values he stood for and courageously advanced.” —Senator Marko Liias