Transgender people can be godparents at Roman Catholic baptisms, witnesses at religious weddings and receive baptism themselves, the Vatican's doctrinal office said on Wednesday.
In response to a question of whether transgender people can be baptized, the doctrinal office said they could with some conditions and as long as there is “no risk of causing a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful”.
Ah, there it is, the caveat that makes it all pointless lip service.
I’m fairly certain that is the same of ANY individual. If they are known to be the crack dealer, who sells child pornography under the table at your “adult entertainment” establishment, a pastor would be in his right to decline to baptize them or proceed over a baptism/confirmation where they were to serve as a godparent.
Then again in any diocese I suspect if you search long enough, you’ll find a priest who is willing to as his belief in the sacrament is greater than any fear of his bishop’s politics. The pastor at the parish we belonged to for 4 years before moving to our current home was one of those. Whilst we were members, I know of at least one infant baptism he performed for an adopted child of a same-sex partnership in the back font well after mass. And I had heard stories of how in the 1980s he was the only one around willing to enter into the home of those suffering of AIDS whom he did not know, to be a comfort & minster to them, before we really understood the disease beyond what looked as gay leprosery.
Of course, any individual can baptize anyone else, though the preferred norm is a deacon or priest in the presence of your local parish (I know there is some flowery church language I’m missing here). As long as it’s done in the name of the father, the son and holy spirit, and if he be of an age of reason he has consented to being baptized, its valid. God knows no bounds to his grace.
The “caveat” could so easily come with qualifiers to prevent scandal or disorientation but it doesn’t.
Just like prostitution, abusiveness etc transgenderism and homosexual acts are sins. We are all sinners but we must renounce our sin when we enter the Church and try our best to live a repentant life that reflects such things. E.g. No same-sex unions or living as the opposite sex.
I’m not Catholic so this doesn’t directly affect me but it seems like an unhealthy ecumenism with sin not the sinner. With the Catholic church being so large it’s sad to see this happening. This follows after the other “innovation” of blessing same sex unions.
Ah, there it is, the caveat that makes it all pointless lip service.
I’m fairly certain that is the same of ANY individual. If they are known to be the crack dealer, who sells child pornography under the table at your “adult entertainment” establishment, a pastor would be in his right to decline to baptize them or proceed over a baptism/confirmation where they were to serve as a godparent.
Then again in any diocese I suspect if you search long enough, you’ll find a priest who is willing to as his belief in the sacrament is greater than any fear of his bishop’s politics. The pastor at the parish we belonged to for 4 years before moving to our current home was one of those. Whilst we were members, I know of at least one infant baptism he performed for an adopted child of a same-sex partnership in the back font well after mass. And I had heard stories of how in the 1980s he was the only one around willing to enter into the home of those suffering of AIDS whom he did not know, to be a comfort & minster to them, before we really understood the disease beyond what looked as gay leprosery.
Of course, any individual can baptize anyone else, though the preferred norm is a deacon or priest in the presence of your local parish (I know there is some flowery church language I’m missing here). As long as it’s done in the name of the father, the son and holy spirit, and if he be of an age of reason he has consented to being baptized, its valid. God knows no bounds to his grace.
The “caveat” could so easily come with qualifiers to prevent scandal or disorientation but it doesn’t.
Just like prostitution, abusiveness etc transgenderism and homosexual acts are sins. We are all sinners but we must renounce our sin when we enter the Church and try our best to live a repentant life that reflects such things. E.g. No same-sex unions or living as the opposite sex.
I’m not Catholic so this doesn’t directly affect me but it seems like an unhealthy ecumenism with sin not the sinner. With the Catholic church being so large it’s sad to see this happening. This follows after the other “innovation” of blessing same sex unions.
Lord have mercy.