Vatican document on gender theory, surrogacy puzzles critics and advocates

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnVATICAN CITY (RNS) — For Catholics hoping for change in their church’s teaching on gender, sexuality and reproductive issues, a new Vatican document on human dignity issued last week was more than a disappointment. It left many questioning whether Pope Francis has ever intended his famed personal gestures of welcome toward LGBTQ believers to translate into doctrinal changes. Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, who oversaw the new document’s creation, seemed to seek to reassure conservatives when he said at a press conference on April 8, “Pope Francis won’t ever speak ex cathedra. He won’t want to create a new dogma of the faith — not for anything — nor a definitive declaration.”
He added rhetorically, “So will it have served nothing, that Pope Francis should have been for 11 years the Supreme Pontiff?” 
That’s just what many progressives want an answer to. Has Francis’ pastoral acceptance of transgender and gay Catholics been merely an attempt to quiet progressives while remaining committed to the status quo?
The topics addressed in the declaration, titled “Infinite Dignity,” are of particular concern to LGBTQ Catholics, who have seen Francis as an ally since his question “Who am I to judge?” in response to questions about his views on homosexuality. The pope has also raised the community’s expectations by pushing for blessings for people in same-sex relationships and meeting with tra …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]