"Today the worst danger is gender ideology, which cancels out differences," Pope Francis has stated. During a 2015 General Audience, the Pope questioned whether gender theory might be "an expression of frustration and resignation."

Prof. Franz-Josef Bormann, a moral theologian at the University of Tübingen, commented, "The self-stylization to 'I'm gay or I'm lesbian or I'm trans or I'm non-binary,' in my opinion, is not the essential description of their own self."

Fr. Markus Graulich SDB, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, unequivocally stated, "There are only two genders, two sexes, male and female. We have this as a basic [tenet] of Christian anthropology, which comes from the report of creation in Genesis and in other books of the Bible. There is always the importance underlined also by Pope Francis, that the two sexes or the two genders are created in a reciprocity."

In April 2015, Pope Francis expressed concern about the removal of sexual differences, saying, "I ask myself if the so-called gender theory is not, at the same time, an expression of frustration and resignation, which seeks to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it. Yes, we risk taking a step backwards. The removal of difference in fact creates a problem, not a solution."

In March of this year, the Holy Father intensified his criticism: "Today the worst danger is gender ideology, which cancels out differences. I asked for studies to be made on this ugly ideology of our time, which erases differences and makes everything the same; to erase difference is to erase humanity. Man and woman, on the other hand, stand in fruitful 'tension.'"

In 2024, the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published the document "Dignitas Infinita." In it, the Church warns against ideological excesses and sex change surgeries. Fr. Graulich explained, "The Church is against surgery when it comes to changing my sex that I have phenotypically or in my chromosomes. There's no possibility to do that. If there are anomalies on the genitalia, the surgery is permitted, but not as a change of sex. You can't bring yourself to life. You can't change your sex by yourself. But it is assigned and it’s part of your dignity that you live with it."

Scientists also warn of the consequences of medical interventions that cannot be reversed. Prof. Bormann noted, "Empirical evidence shows that many of these supposedly transgender people do not persist with this problem, but most of them reconcile with their birth gender afterwards. However, if hormone treatment takes place at an early stage, this almost always leads to surgical adjustment operations being carried out, without this ensuring that the problems are all solved afterwards."

The Catholic initiative "Courage International" is pursuing a holistic approach to help people affected. Fr. Colin Blatchford, the Associate Director of Courage International, offers help to those with homosexual tendencies and people who are unsure about their gender. "We define success as holiness," Fr. Blatchford highlighted. "Pope Francis has said that multiple times: you must bring them to encounter Christ first before we can teach out the moral consequences."

The priest knows that accompanying these affected people requires sensitivity and the right timing. Fr. Blatchford shared his advice: "We can tell people that we love them and we don’t agree with them. We also don’t have to tell people that we disagree with them every time we see them." He continued, "Truth and charity, and neither one can ever trump the other. So you can't say something that's not charitable or not truthful."

Prof. Bormann added, "Faith has no preconditions, but is a free gift of grace for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation. This does not mean that it is without consequences if someone has decided to live a life of faith. Everyone is welcome. And if this is communicated in a credible way and if it can also be experienced in your own parish, then I believe that many of the very heated debates will then become superfluous."

Rudolf Gehrig of EWTN Vatican asked, “Now these prohibitions and all those documents are not enough. How does the Church deal with the people of the so-called LGBTQ community in its pastoral work?”

“There are different approaches,” Fr. Graulich responded. “There is a Catholic approach. That would mean that you welcome everybody who comes to you for pastoral guidance or to participate in the sacramental life of the Church or in the life of the parish community. Accept them, accompany them! Explain to them the values of the Gospel, and what God has given us!”

Prof. Bormann emphasized, “The self-stylization to ‘I'm gay or I'm lesbian or I'm trans or I'm inter or I'm non-binary,’ in my opinion that is not the essential description of their own self. The Church should not somehow develop a ‘special homosexual or transgender pastoral ministry,’ but should send out the message that what faith is about is much more essential and constitutive of their identity than the respective problems that they themselves may be struggling with at the moment.”

Regarding his ministry, Fr. Blatchford explained, “One of the ways that we help them is with this authentic loving accompaniment and the essence of that is those three phrases: ‘I love you.’ ‘I believe God has a plan for you,’ and ‘I want to hear your story.’ If we can consistently do that over time, then they will find the truth. They will be led to Christ because they're already seeking him if they're talking to you about these things.”

Adapted by Jacob Stein