If the Church really believes in the indelible dignity of LGBTQ+ persons, it can’t just express sorrow for past abuses or offer words of welcome. It has to actually do something.
The Vatican’s failure to carefully distinguish between “gender theory” and the varied experiences of actual transgender people risks further alienating those that already feel rejected by the Church.
Encyclicals that do not name the change that needs to happen within the Church’s own systems and teaching do not help those affected to feel invited into dialogue.
Sr. Helen Prejean talks about the pope’s action on capital punishment, the politics of the death penalty, and how Twitter can be used to build spiritual sustenance