(ZENIT News / Melbourne, 07.09.2022).- The Australian Episcopal Conference published a Guide on gender and identity, to help Catholic schools respond to the individual social and pastoral needs of students. “Created and Loved: A Guide for Catholic Schools on Identity and Gender outlines a pastoral approach made up of the theological, medical and legislative context in which Catholic schools operate. The Bishops consulted extensively specialists in education, including Directors and teachers, asked the advice of parents with children faced with a variety of gender issues; they listened to bio-ethicists and other experts on the subject, and the international ecclesial community. The growing indexes of gender incongruence in Australian society are regarded as an invitation to reflect profoundly on the biblical and Christian testimony of human dignity. The Guide offers principles that can be used by Catholic educational authorities in their own local contexts.
“The Catholic Church and our schools start from the foundational principle that each person has been created in the image and likeness of God and is loved by God,” said Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli, President of the Episcopal Commission for Life, Family and Public Commitment. “That principles guides this Document, which we offer our schools to support them in walking compassionately together with every student we are invited to educate.” Archbishop Comensoli said that “Created and Loved” is based on Christian anthropology, which appreciates the value and dignity of every person and also sees every person in a holistic way, instead of defining that person solely by one characteristic. The Executive Director of the National Catholic Education Commission, Jacinta Collins, said that the Guide will be the focus of a session with hundreds of Catholic educators during the National Catholic Education Conference to be held in Melbourne.
“This will be the first of many opportunities for Catholic educational authorities and schools, in the formation of leaders and teachers, to reflect on how they can respond to gender and identity with care and sensibility,” she said. Mrs Collins added that Catholic school communities are already managing with ability the needs of students in this ambit, but the Guide will offer more advice based on theological, psychological, medical and legislative knowledge. “The recent comments of the eminent psychologist, Professor Ian Hickie, highlight the growing number of medical professionals who question the gender affirmative approach and support the biopsychosocial approach, which is less invasive, holistic and more aligned with the Catholic vision of the world,” she said. “It continues to be essential that our Catholic schools be able to speak about the Church’s teachings on these questions in an informed way, backed by the principles of respect and human dignity.” “Catholic schools are unique pastoral communities, but it’s vital that the Catholic vision of the person in his totality inform our understanding. ‘Created and Loved’ outlines a solid basis for that approach.”
Archbishop Comensoli said that the leaders of Catholic schools are well situated to respond to pastoral needs in an informed and sensible way, free of the politics and division witnessed sometimes in the community in general.
The Catholic position is to support the needs of every individual according to his circumstances, respecting the person and the wider school community of students and families.
“Catholic schools are beautiful communities of encounter with the Risen Jesus, who loves us unconditionally and challenges us to grow in our wisdom and understanding,” said Archbishop Comensoli, who added that the guidance will be based on the commitment and formation that the educational authorities are engaged in, while developing local practical guidelines. “It will be revised over time and the guidance will evolve,” concluded Archbishop Comensoli.
