U.S. bishops officially ban gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals

The U.S. Catholic bishops have officially banned gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals. This decision formalizes a yearslong process for the U.S. church regarding transgender health care. The bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to their ethical and religious directives, which guide thousands of Catholic health care institutions and providers across the nation. These directives incorporate earlier Vatican and U.S. bishops' documents, explicitly stating that Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, surgical or chemical, aimed at transforming a person's sexual characteristics or participate in the development of such procedures. While most Catholic health care institutions have historically not offered gender-affirming care, the new directives will mandate this prohibition. Bishops will have the autonomy to enact these directives within their respective dioceses. Some progressive religious voices and transgender Catholics expressed concern, stating that gender-affirming care is vital for many transgender individuals to live authentically and is considered a spiritual imperative by some. On the same day, leaders from several major progressive denominations issued a statement supporting transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people. In other news, the U.S. Catholic bishops also approved a "special message" on immigration, expressing concern over enforcement and conditions in detention centers. The bishops voiced their disturbance over a climate of fear and anxiety regarding profiling and immigration enforcement, and their sadness at the vilification of immigrants. They are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care for detained immigrants. The s... download the app to read more