CATHOLIC CONNECTION

“MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM” A response

By Shannon Hogan

On June 10, the Congregation for Public Education in the Vatican released a paper on gender theory, directed to Catholic teachers of the world, and to all those involved in the educating the young.

The document opens by stating that society is facing an “educational crisis, especially in the field of affectivity and sexuality”. As Catholic teachers, we see there is a crisis in society and in education insofar as the suicidal ideation and completion rates among sexual minorities are increasing in numbers and staggering in percentages, when compared to their cisgender counterparts.

Teachers and parents are painfully aware of the consequences of the negation of the “being” of any student, for whatever reason. Depression, isolation, self-harm, and psychological difficulties are the plight of many students in our schools, and are magnified in the lives of our students who are gender non-conforming, transgendered, lesbian, gay, transitioning, or questioning.

Specifically, the document states that gender theory is “founded on a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants.” It further states that transgender people “choose” this experience as a form of “provocation” to society at large. It suggests the same is true of all who do not conform to the binary concept of gender division, which the Church sees as normative, without exception.

The document claims that students are being led astray by the curriculum that educates our students regarding the humanity and dignity of all, regardless of, or because of, their understanding of themselves as sexual beings in the world. As Catholic teachers, we would remind the Congregation for Public Education that the curriculum they find so errant has been approved by the Cardinals, Bishops, and the National Office of Catholic Education.

The title and theme of this document makes reference to creation as ordained by God. The key teaching of both books of Genesis is, “… and God saw that it was good.” That is the core of Catholic teaching regarding all creation – including each and every human being.

Teachers know that when a parent or guardian sends their child to school, they have the expectation that their child will be loved, will be safe, and will be alive at the end of each school day. Many parents have children who are transitioning or who are

transgender. They beg us to care for them, teach them, and keep them alive until graduation. They know their children, and they know their children’s pain.

To suggest that these children are acting on a “whim” or as a ploy to “provoke” the people around them is heinous; it shows a total lack of understanding of the human condition, about which the Congregation claims to be expert. This is a contribution to further harm, not to the love and nurturing of the students in our care.

In our OECTA prayer we state, “Lord Jesus, share with us your counsel, so we may choose knowledge over ignorance, wisdom over waste, peace over injustice, community over isolation, and service over domination.”

Through the grace of God and a love for our students, we will continue as we always have, to put knowledge over ignorance and community over isolation. This is the Gospel of the Christ we proclaim as Catholic teachers. Anything less is impossible.