Graduate Students Criticize “Dignitas Infinita” in Open Letter to Pope

An open letter to Pope Francis has been published by Catholic students, theologians, pastoral ministers, educators, and others that expresses their “concern” with portions of the Vatican’s new declaration on human dignity, Dignitas Infinita.

The open letter responding to the declaration, particularly its sections on “gender theory” and “sex change, was published in the National Catholic Reporter. It was also addressed to Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

While the signatories were grateful that Dignitas Infinita affirms the dignity of the poor and all those “whose dignity is consistently violated, ” they note such affirmation of dignity does not extend to LGBTQ+ people:

“We are saddened, therefore, that the document fails to recognize the dignity of trans and gender-nonconforming people. In its condemnation of gender ‘ideology’ and ‘sex change,’ the document marginalizes the infinite dignity in people of all genders and their authentic self-expression and inadvertently perpetuates the harm it aims to overcome.”

The authors, many of whom are students or graduates of Boston College, divide their response in three parts: ecclesial, theological, and ethical. Under ecclesial concerns, the letter emphasizes the importance of listening and encounter as a church, a synodal approach the letter’s authors do not believe Dignitas Infinita followed because it “shows no evidence that its authors were informed by true encounters with trans, nonbinary and intersex people.”  

Second, theologically, the authors counter Dignitas Infinita‘s claims that “gender theory” would “deny sexual difference.” The letter explains:

“In recognizing trans and gender-nonconforming individuals, we see no risk of erasing sexual difference. Instead, doing so would affirm the vast sexual difference and dignity of individuals, and the diversity of God’s creation. We have seen clearly, in our lives and in our ministries, that trans and gender-nonconforming individuals are not seeking to “make [themselves] God,” as Paragraph 57 of the declaration alleges. Rather, continually discerning and living in alignment with one’s gender identity can be an affirmation of the unique person whom God created and calls each of us to be.”

Finally, ethically, the letter challenged Dignitas Infinita to live up to its own ideals:

“Paragraph 55 of the document states that ‘it should be denounced as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.’ We affirm this statement as we ask: Is the flourishing of trans and gender-nonconforming individuals limited to legal protection from imprisonment, torture and death? Trans and gender-nonconforming Catholics dream that the Catholic Church might someday affirm their dignity not only to survive as who they are, but to live and flourish as who they are.”

The letter concludes with a few recommendations for how church leaders could better approach the issues in Dignitas Infinita, writing:

“We ask that Catholic ethicists who specialize in gender and sexual ethics, particularly LGBTQ+ ethics, be offered the opportunity to participate in the discernment and creation of future documents on gender and sexual diversity using the fullness of their skills. . .We also call for a commission of queer, trans and intersex theologians, ministers, and lay believers to advise the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. We implore you to hear the cries of transgender, nonbinary and intersex people. As a church, we cannot love who we do not truly know.”

A few signatories left anonymous comments about their reactions to Dignitas Infinita. One queer woman shared about her struggle in feeling called to both ministry and to her marriage:

“It’s exhausting being a queer minister whose identity must be kept secret to keep myself employed and safe despite my strong calling to theology and ministry and to marriage…I am a queer woman who can love God deeply while also loving other women…Forcing me and other LGBTQ+ people to choose between their queerness and their calling to Godself dismembers the body of Christ.”

Another person shared about the implications of this document on LGBTQ+ people’s lives: 

“We should all be clear: religious (and secular) doctrinal pronouncements get acted out in real life. For me and my trans siblings the unspoken message is that our transness must be erased. Truly, the authors could not even say the word; our identity is literally unspeakable.”

—Liam Myers (he/him), New Ways Ministry, May 3, 2024