The Vatican announced that transgender people can be baptized and be godparents
Transgender people can be baptized and be godparents in Roman Catholic baptisms, as well as witnesses in religious weddings.
This was announced in the Vatican, Reuters reports.
The Vatican’s special department has released six answers to questions about LGBT representatives and their participation in the sacraments of baptism and marriage.
In this way, the Pope tried to make the Church more welcoming to the LGBT community, without changing the teachings of the Church. In particular, he stated that same-sex attraction is not a sin, but same-sex relationships are.
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In response to the question of whether transgender people can be baptizedthe doctrinal office said they could be baptized under certain conditions and as long as “there is no risk of causing public scandal or disorientation among the faithful.”
Transgenders too can be godparents at the time of baptism at the discretion of the local priest, as well as witnesses during the church wedding, but the local priest must exercise “pastoral prudence” in his decision.
At the same time, it is noted that transgender people should “lead a life that corresponds to faith”
“This is an important step forward in a Church that sees transgender people not only as people (in a Church where some say they don’t really exist) but also as Catholics“, – wrote in “X” (Twitter) Father James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest and supporter of LGBT rights.
Roman Catholics also agreed that a person in a same-sex relationship could be a witness at a Catholic wedding. They referred to the current church canon law, which does not contain any prohibitions on this.
However, there was no clear answer as to whether a same-sex couple who adopted a child or received it from a surrogate mother can baptize this child in a Catholic ceremony.
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