The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) recently approved new guidelines that strictly prohibit Catholic hospitals from conducting transgender-related surgeries or offering medical procedures that modify sexual characteristics. This decision was reached during a plenary assembly in Baltimore, with a significant majority voting in favor—206 bishops supported the measure, while only eight opposed it and seven abstained.
The revised directives aim to update the “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.” The bishops’ statement underscores the belief that “creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift,” asserting that Catholic health services should not engage in surgical, hormonal, or genetic interventions that alter the natural order of the human body. This includes specifically targeting gender-transition surgeries and any non-therapeutic genetic modifications.
These revisions echo guidance provided by the bishops in a doctrinal note from 2023, which had previously instructed Catholic health providers to refrain from participating in any procedures designed to change an individual’s sexual characteristics.
The Catholic Health Association expressed support for the updated guidelines, describing them as a reaffirmation of the dignity of all individuals while clarifying existing clinical practices. The emphasis in the directive on “the inherent dignity of the human person” reflects a commitment to respecting and safeguarding individuals, irrespective of their health issues or social standing.
This move demonstrates the bishops’ ongoing efforts to uphold Catholic teachings in health care settings, promoting a philosophy centered on the sanctity of creation and the intrinsic worth of every person.