VATICAN CITY ( AP )- Some trans Christians feel excluded because the national meeting of Catholic priests in the United States rejects the idea of gender transition. The Vatican released a starkly contradictory assertion on Wednesday, saying that it is acceptable for transgender Christians to become baptized and serve as guardians in certain situations.
According to Francis DeBernardo, executive chairman of the Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, which promotes greater Gay acceptance in the church, “it is a big step for trans inclusion and it is great and great news.”
Pope Francis and Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, who oversees the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed the document on October 21. It was released on the company’s website on Wednesday.
A transgender people “may receive communion under the same problems as another faithful,” according to the file, if it did not cause controversy or “disorientation” among other Catholics.
In a similar vein, the report stated that trans adults could serve as pioneers or godmothers under certain circumstances, yet if they had undergone gender-transition operation.
According to DeBernardo, this appears to be a reversal of the Vatican’s 2015 determination to forbid an African-American gentleman in Spain from having children as godparents.
Pope Francis has often expressed interest in making the Catholic Church more accepting of LGBTQ people during his pontificate, despite the fact that teachings opposing same-sex relationship and physical activity are still firmly in place.
A small but growing range of churches in the United States have established Gay aid organizations and accept transgender people on their terms. However, a number of Catholic dioceses have published instructions that restrict trans people and refuse to acknowledge their gender identity.
The Rev. The new report was welcomed by James Martin, a Jesuit priest who has long advocated for more Gay participation in the temple.
Transgender Catholics have been seriously prohibited from taking part in church activities in many provinces and parishes, including the U.S.,” not because of any canon rules, but rather as a result of the choices of bishops,” the author said via email.
Therefore, he said,” The Vatican’s statement is a blatant acknowledgement of both their identity and their place within their own cathedral.” I’m hoping it encourages the Christian religion to view them more as people and less as issues.
The report, according to the Vatican, was in response to a Portuguese bishop’s letter from July asking about the potential participation of LGBTQ people in baptisms and weddings.
According to DeBernardo, the report “proves that the Catholic Church can and does change its mind about certain techniques and guidelines,” and he made the suggestion that some catholic anti-trans policies may now need to be revoked. However, he expressed dissatisfaction that the record continued to forbid same-sex people from acting as godparents.
