In Summary
- Transgender children and adolescents to be baptized as well
- Same-sex couple would be able to baptize a child who had been adopted or born via surrogate
The Vatican has announced that transgender individuals can be baptized and may serve as godparents under specific conditions.
The statement issued on Wednesday in response to a question from a Brazilian bishop regarding the church’s stance on transgender people being baptized and their participation in wedding ceremonies.
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According to the document released in Portuguese, transgender individuals, including those who have undergone hormone replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery, are permitted to undergo baptism under the same conditions as other believers.
However, this is only permissible if there is no risk of generating a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful.
Transgender Children Baptism
The document, unfortunately, does not provide clarity on what constitutes a public scandal.
Moreover the statement allows transgender children and adolescents to be baptized.
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And while addressing the issue of same-sex couples, the Vatican’s document suggests that a same-sex couple can baptize a child, whether adopted or born via surrogate, as long as there is a well-founded hope that he or she will be educated in the Catholic religion.
The document has also remained unclear on the issue of transgender individuals serving as godparents reiterating that it would be allowed as long as there is no risk of a scandal.
Early this year, the Pope said that laws criminalizing LGBT people were a sin and an injustice Saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” he said during an interview with the Associated Press.
