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CV NEWS FEED // The Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri, issued a statement correcting a local pastor after the priest testified against a bill that would protect minors from chemical and surgical mutilation.
Fox2Now reported that Father Mitch Doyen, the pastor of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, testified Feb. 3 at a Missouri House committee hearing against House Bill 35.
The bill states that healthcare providers must “not knowingly perform a gender transition surgery on any individual under eighteen years of age.”
“I believe in a loving god who has fashioned each human person as a unique reflection of God’s love in the world,” Fr. Doyen said. “I am not afraid to imagine a world more profound than male and female. And I trust the parents, families, doctors, and counselors, all who love our transgender youth, to make these decisions more than you.”
He also said that while he’s not advocating a change to Church teachings, “I think the church is still learning, still growing, and we’re going to have to dial it among ourselves. We need grace, compassion, and connection more than we need to be dividing and pretending that anyone has all the answers.”
The Archdiocese told Fox2Now that Fr. Doyen’s comments do not reflect Church teaching.
“The Catholic Church consistently reaffirms the compassion and inherent dignity of all men and women, including those who experience gender dysphoria,” the Archdiocese stated. “We do not discriminate against anyone based on how they identify or what they believe.
“However, our pastoral care and support of individuals who identify as transgender does not mean that we condone chemical treatment or surgical procedures that are designed to alter the appearance of one’s gender. The Church has been consistent on this issue, and any suggestion to the contrary is a misrepresentation.”
