Pope Francis Strongly Decries Transgenderism. Blames 'Influential Countries' For 'Ideological Colonization'

The Vatican Press Office released the transcript of the meeting between Pope Francis and the prelates of Poland (As of this writing it has not been translated into English) that occurred during the pontiff’s recent apostolic journey there for World Youth Day. We have written about how our culture far too often reduces human sexuality to a recreational activity with little regard for its significance or sacredness. Such an attitude fails to see the person as a unique creation made in the image of God or our gender as a gift, not to be manipulated. Francis' remarks the strongest yet on this topic, are an affirmation of the Church's long held teaching. (From the Holy See's transcript.):

"In Europe, America, Latin America, Africa and some Asian countries we are seeing some real ideological colonizations. And one of these, I’m going to say it outright, is gender.

Today, children — children! — are told at school that they can choose their sex. Why are they taught this? Because the books are supplied by the people and institutions that give you the money. These are the ideological colonizations backed also by countries that wield a great deal of influence. And this is terrible."

Pope Francis recently stated that, "biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated" The Holy Father's words echo his encyclical, Laudato Si, that calls for men and women to acknowledge their bodies as a gift from God which should not be manipulated: "The acceptance of our bodies as God's gift is vital for welcoming and accepting the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home. ...whereas thinking that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states that: "369: Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God: on the one hand, in perfect equality as human persons; on the other, in their respective beings as man and woman. 'Being man' or 'being woman' is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity 'in the image of God'. In their 'being-man' and 'being-woman', they reflect the Creator's wisdom and goodness." May our Holy Mother Church imitate Christ the Bridegroom in all things as a 'sign of contradiction', now and always.