The Vatican has taken strides towards acknowledging transgender individuals within the Catholic Church by publicly declaring that, under specific conditions, transgender people are permitted to receive baptism and fulfill the role of godparents.
This announcement stands in stark contrast to the stance adopted by the national conference of Catholic bishops in the United States, which rejects the notion of gender transition, leading to a sense of exclusion among many transgender Catholics.
The document, signed on October 21 by Pope Francis and Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, was officially released on the office’s website this Wednesday.
The move has been hailed as a significant step towards greater inclusivity for transgender individuals in the Catholic faith. Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, based in Maryland and advocating for increased LGBTQ acceptance in the church, expressed that this development is substantial and positive news for trans inclusion.