OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
The Vatican clarified its stance on transgender individuals, same-sex couples, and Catholic sacraments in response to a set of questions from a Brazilian bishop.
The document stated that transgender individuals can be baptized under certain conditions, as can children and teens with “problems of a transgender nature.”
“In any case, the Church must always remind us to fully live all the implications of the baptism received, which must always be understood and deployed within the entire path of Christian initiation,” it read.
The Vatican also addressed the issue of godparents, stating that individuals who have undergone transgender medical treatment can serve as godparents under certain conditions.
“However, since this task does not constitute a right, pastoral prudence demands that it not be permitted if there is a risk of scandal, undue legitimation or disorientation in the educational sphere of the ecclesial community,” the document said.
The document also addressed the issue of same-sex couples and baptism, stating that a priest baptizing a child must have a “founded hope” that the baptized child will be raised Catholic.
Additionally, the Vatican noted that the Catholic Church does not sanction same-sex marriage and clarified that there is no rule preventing a person who has undergone transgender treatment or a cohabiting person in a same-sex relationship from serving as a wedding witness.
The document was signed by Pope Francis and the Dicastery’s new prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.
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