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A Message from Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger:
Regarding human sexuality and sexual identity, it is critical to recall that the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity equally to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity." (Catechism of the Catholic Church ("CCC"), 2360-2363). By its very nature, sexuality is ordered to the conjugal love of a man and woman within the bond of marriage (c. 1055). And marriage, which is a partnership of the whole of life, is always ordered by its very nature to both the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children (Ibid.). All persons are called to chastity, to be lived out according to one's state in life (CCC, #2337-2359).
These teachings of the Church are not mere antiquated notions. In fact, Pope Francis has repeatedly stressed the importance of a proper understanding of our biological sexuality, warning of the challenge posed by "the various forms of an ideology of gender that denies the difference and reciprocity in nature of a man and a woman, and envisages a society without sexual differences" (Amoris Laetitia ("AL"), 1156). Pope Francis further notes that "biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated," and that although we must always be "understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life," that does not require us to "accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality" (Ibid.). Ultimately, "we are creatures, and not omnipotent," and we must accept and respect our humanity "as it was created" (Ibid.; see also Gen. 1:27, Matthew 19:4, and Mark 10:6). The Holy Father then stresses that "the young need to be helped to accept their own body as it was created," so that "we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the Creator" (AL, #285).
As Pope Francis notes, we must always respect the sacred dignity of each individual person, but that does not mean the Church must accept the confused notions of gender ideology. We must not demean or deny the sincerity and struggle of those who experience same-sex attraction or who feel their true gender identity is different from their biological sex. Rather, we seek to accompany them on their journey of life, offering them the light of the Gospel as they try to find their way forward.
These fundamental truths are not merely faith-based; rather, such realities are also knowable through the use of properly functioning senses and right reason (Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, #22). We do not serve anyone's greater good by falsifying the truth, for it is only the truth that frees us for the full life that God offers to each of us. Thus, when a person experiences same-sex attraction or some form of gender dysphoria, such struggles do not change the biological fact of how God created that person, and it would be untruthful for the Catholic Church or our Catholic institutions to pretend otherwise.
Together we must learn how best to balance the Gospel demand for compassion extended to
a community that feels itself to be vulnerable and marginalized, along with the Gospel call to chastity and responsibility for the gift of human sexuality. To be clear, there are two extreme positions which are inconsistent with our faith. On the one extreme hand, stressing what our culture holds to be unquestioned individual rights, our secular culture's understanding of human sexuality is fully inconsistent with our ancient and Biblical faith. The other extreme position is to respond to a highly vulnerable or gravely at-risk child by immediately rejecting his or her experience. As our Holy Father Pope Francis has taught and witnessed, especially in his recent encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, the Gospel position is a careful and prudent accompaniment which balances supporting critical needs of a vulnerable person along with the critical need of upholding the fullness of our Catholic Faith. While this will be challenging in many instances, it is nevertheless our vocation, and we can fulfill this call with equal parts of fidelity to our faith and compassion for individuals.
+Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger
Diocese of Tucson
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