Our Bishop released an eight-page letter on human dignity and gender identity which reaffirms clearly the Church’s teaching on each person’s dignity and gender as created by God. The following is a brief summary. That said, every Catholic should read and ponder the Bishop’s words so as to bring truth of every person’s dignity to the public square, including and especially education.
Every human being is composed of body and soul. The soul animates, or gives life, to the body. God creates the two uniquely for each other at conception. As a human person each one’s body is essentially a part of who he or she is. The difference in the sexes as created by God are to complement each other. Within marriage, a man and a woman live in a communion of persons. Man brings his gifts of masculinity and woman brings her gifts of femininity to complement each other. In a beautiful way, man and woman as spouses and parents co-operate in a unique way in the Creator’s work on continuing the human race. Every child has a right to a father and a mother.
The constant teaching of Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church is to love each human person. Truth and love never can be in conflict as both are the same Person, Jesus Christ. As Christians we love each person in his struggles to help him grow closer to Jesus. In loving we do not overlook or hide the Truth of Jesus’ teachings. We strive to be true friends; to enter into conversations with others in their struggles. This friendship includes those who may struggle with gender dysphoria. We strive to help each person know his or her dignity as a son or daughter of God. This help does not mean we overlook that God has created each person as male or female. There are those who speak of ‘transitioning’ or ‘changing’ one’s gender. Altered physical appearances will not change the fact that one is male or female, as every cell of his or her body reveals.
Again, this is a very brief summary of Bishop Burbidge’s letter. Please take some time to read it. Please, also, take note of the footnotes that will be very helpful.
God bless
FRVW
Click HERE for the full letter