Laudato Si, Laudate Deum, & "Climate Change"
Re: “Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex or take part in the development of such procedures” (USCCB)
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....The American Medical Association (AMA) endorsed the Endocrine Society’s position in passing a resolution to protect access to gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse persons, which did not exclude youths (American Medical Association House of Delegates 2023). AMA cites the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for this decision. HHS indicates that gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary people consists of “an array of services that may include medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and non-binary people” (HHS, 2022). The so called “treatment” for GD in the US includes affirmation of the child’s confusion, chemically blocking puberty, lifelong cross-sex hormones (testosterone for girls and estrogen for boys) and mutilating surgeries....
New developments in addressing gender dysphoria in children are concerning in terms of violating fundamental parental rights and upending long standing jurisprudence. Policies to undermine the rights and obligations of parents or guardians, particularly in the public-school systems, in no way are to be endorsed. Children lack the full decisional capacity for such serious issues and are dependent upon engaged parents/guardians to consent or refuse potentially life-altering psychological, medical, or surgical actions....The Catholic Medical Association calls on the medical organizations that promote the practice of sex reassignment of children with GD to reverse their decision....
The above statement references the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB's) March 2023 Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body In June 2023, the USCCB voted to incorporate that doctrinal note into its . Looking back in January 2024, I asked:
Why is there any need for the bishops to clarify or vote on a document that simply affirms that “Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex or take part in the development of such procedures”? This appears to have resulted in needless delay.
In March 2024, paragraphs 55 to 60 of the Vatican's Dignitas Infinita addressed "gender theory" and so -called "sex change." Yet, we are still awaiting the USCCB's update. In the meantime, please consider adding your name to the Doctors Protecting Children declaration!
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About the Author
Joe Tevington is a proudly orthodox Catholic, a husband since 1986, a dad to two married adult children, a grandpa to two, and a civil service retiree. He is a sign language fluent certified rehabilitation counselor with graduate degrees in deafness rehabilitation, religious studies/moral theology, & Christian counseling psychology, as well as a catechetical diploma and certificates in benefits planning and Catholic social ministry. He deeply appreciates Catholic teaching on the sanctity of human life and the sanctity of the transmission of human life, as well as how they are to inform us in our apostolates and ministries.
On much lighter notes, he fancies himself to be the foremost authority on his native Brooklyn, when it comes to architecture, geography, history, Italian food, Saturday Night Fever, stick ball, stoop ball, or wiffle ball.
