New Gender Identity Policy at Catholic Churches, Schools

God bless His Excellency Thomas Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois!!! May God grant him many years to rule his Diocese!

From KHQA (emphasis added)

Springfield, ILL. — Gender issues have been in the national spotlight for a while, and the Springfield Diocese is providing further clarification on its stance.

The diocese enacted a new gender policy, which states Catholic agencies must honor a person’s biological sex assigned at birth, rather than one’s gender orientation. This includes all Catholic parishes, schools, institutions and departments.

To honor this policy, people will be addressed by gender pronouns that match their sex at birth, including on all documentation. Additionally, people must use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their biological sex on all Diocesan and Parish property.

The policy compared gender dysmorphia to anorexia, saying people should not encourage children to change their sex to match their gender identity.

“Much like it is wrong to encourage someone who suffers from anorexia and who believes he or she is overweight to eat less, encouraging or helping someone transition to another sex because that’s what he or she believes despite their biological truth, is morally wrong and endangers that person’s physical, psychological and mental future,” the policy states.

The policy includes the Diocese’s support for those with gender dysmorphia to receive counseling by medical professionals who adhere to Christian teaching.

It is noted in the policy that children who do not identify with their gender assigned at birth will not be denied from Catholic schools, so long that the student and their family abide by the policy.

When we reached out to the Springfield Diocese for a statement on the new policy, this was their response:

“These policies make clear that we are obligated to respect the biology given to us by God, while also supporting and loving those with gender dysphoria. This includes our churches and schools working with those with gender dysphoria to provide them a private bathroom. That is not only the compassionate approach, but it also respects the rights of others and helps keep all those entrusted to our care safe. In addition, these policies ensure fair competition in athletics.

“The Catholic Church teaches that our identities as male and female are part of God’s design and are gifts from God, and that we must accept and care for our bodies as they were created. Additionally, as Catholics, we are called to compassion and empathy toward anyone who is confused about their identity. Much like it is wrong to encourage someone who suffers from anorexia and who believes he or she is overweight to eat less, encouraging or helping someone transition to another sex because that’s what he or she believes despite their biological truth, is morally wrong and endangers that person’s physical, psychological, and mental future.”

In response to those who are born intersex/hermaphroditism:

“While the Catholic Church does not support transgender therapies and/or surgeries that assist a person in ‘transitioning’ his or her gender, the Church recognizes that appropriate medical care may be necessary in rare cases of true genetic or physical anomalies, such as hermaphroditism or intersex.”