Topline
Following decades of claims made by both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI opposing “gender philosophy” and the acceptance of trans people in the church, the Vatican announced in a file that was approved by the pope that gay people can become baptized, become guardians, and serve as witnesses at Catholic marriages.
Important Details
Pope Francis has previously refrained from loving trans Catholics and has frequently criticized the term” Gender philosophy,” despite being known for having a kinder tone on LGBTQ issues than his predecessors.
In an interview with European reporters for the text” Pope Francis: This Market Kills,” Francis cited nuclear weapons as an illustration of an artificial crime against God and claimed that “gender idea” is inconsistent with the “order of creation.”
Kids are learning that “everyone may choose their identity” in schools, Francis said, calling it an “annihilation of gentleman as image of God,” in a meeting with Polish bishops in August 2016.
Francis doubled down on his opposition to the training of “gender philosophy” in schools in October 2016, claiming that it goes “against nature” and is a “ideological colonization,” following his meeting with the Frenchman who had transgendered children.
The Vatican published its second report on gender theory in 2019 with the title” Male and Female He Created Them,” which was not signed by Pope Francis. It rejected trans identities as a” bewildered concept of freedom” and an attempt to “annihilate nature.”
The late Pope Benedict XVI, who succeeded Francis, reportedly stated in 2014 that transgender people would be the church’s second obstacle. He referred to this as the “ultimate rebellion against God the Creator” and called it “profound untruth” that people can identify with a female that is not given to them at delivery.
Peg News
Transgender Catholics, including those who have undergone testosterone therapy and gender reassignment surgery, are allowed to be baptized if” there are no circumstances in which there is a chance of generating an open scandal or restlessness among the faithful,” according to the Vatican document, which Francis approved on October 31 and was posted on its website on Wednesday. The report also stated that transgender Catholic can serve as godparents and that witnesses at Catholic weddings may include both individuals and those who are in same-sex relationships. In response to inquiries about how Gay people may take part in rituals and ceremonies made by Bishop Jose Negri of Santo Amaro in Brazil in July, the report was written. The report was praised by some church members who supported LGBTQ popularity. ” This is an important step forward in the church seeing transgender people not only as people ( in a church where some say they do n’t really exist ) but as Catholics,” said Jesuit priest and writer James Martin on X ( previously known as Twitter ). The report was praised by the LGBT advocacy group GLAAD as an “unambiguous information to political and cultural officials around the world to end their persecution and rejection of transgender people.” The statement from the Vatican in 2015 stated that transgender people may not serve as guardians.
Chief Reviewers
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of the Catholic LGBTQ lobbying group New Ways Ministry, praised Francis for approving the report on Wednesday, but criticized it for encouraging trans Catholic rituals in situations that avoid “public scandal,” claiming that the church was more” involved about” causing scandal” than on integrating LGBTQ+ Catholics into the life of their people. LGBTQ activists have recently criticized Francis for his disparaging remarks about trans people. Francis ‘ criticism of the training of trans identities in schools, according to the Catholic LGBTQ business DignityUSA, “put lives at risk” and may lead to bullying of young people of color.” Francis and the church have been charged with failing to recognize that a person’s gender identification is discovered, no chosen, by numerous companies, including DignityUSA and The Human Rights Campaign. Conventional church members have also criticized Francis for his views on the LGBTQ community within the church. Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, who has charged Francis with trying to “push forth an plan” to alter church teachings on LGBTQ problems, led a gathering of conservatives in opposition to Francis ‘ big gathering of church officials last month.
Contra
Francis has spoken out against “gender ideology” in a number of places, but he has also frequently encountered trans people who claim they may get God’s like. In 2022, Francis had four encounters with trans people who sought refuge in a church in Rome. Francis responded to several music messages from fresh Catholics in 2023, including one that said they were torn between their transgender identity and their Catholic faith. Francis retorted,” The Lord often walks with us… Even if we are criminals, he draws near to enable us.” This is God’s mad passion; the Lord loves us exactly as we are.
Important Background
Francis has often made headlines since becoming church in 2013 for his remarks about the LGBTQ community, which are generally seen as being friendlier and softer than those of his predecessors. Francis reportedly questioned:” If a person is gay and seeks God and has great may, who am I to justice?” in July 2013, four months after becoming pope. Additionally, he stated that queer Catholics would not be denied access to Heaven because of their sexual orientation and supported civil unions for same-sex people in 2021. In a letter from next month, Francis made the suggestion that monks should decide whether or not to love same-sex organizations. Francis, nevertheless, has remained steadfast in his belief that queer works are crimes.
Reading More
According to the Vatican, transgender people can be baptized ( NBC News ).
Here is what Pope Francis has to say about LGBTQ issues ( Forbes ) after he said homosexuality is n’t a crime.
Pope says to a transgender man,” God loves us for who we are,” ( NBC News )
