Cardinal Willem Eijk said Friday that the Pontifical Academy for Life should pay more attention to bioethical issues linked to “gender statement” and “transgender” treatments.
The Dutch Cardinal, doctor and member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, inaugurated the third annual conference organized by the International Chair of Bioethics Jérôme Lejeune, which is held in Rome from May 30 to 31. The theme of this year’s conference is “the splendor of truth in science and bioethics.”
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In an exclusive interview with Andreas Thonhauser, news director of the Vatican of Ewtn, the archbishop of Utrecht (Netherlands) said that, in addition to artificial intelligence, the Church needs to join to discuss the impact of gender statement treatments.
“Now they are very popular and are well accepted in many countries,” he said in the interview.
“I am glad that now in the United States this gender debate has been a bit relegated and that it has also had a positive influence on Western European societies,” he added.
According to Eijk, the Pontifical Academy for Life now has more opportunities to talk about the teachings of the Church regarding the relationship between sex and gender, at a time when the appeal of “gender theory” seems to be now “less strong” than in the past.
“So we see that gender discussion was very strong, you know, a few years ago,” he said. “They were almost promoting gender theory in society, culture and even in the educational programs of primary schools.”
“Now there is a lot of resistance and you can see that many people now wonder if we should do that with our young people,” he added. “So at least, you know, the question is emerging, is it right to do it?”
Although Eijk expressed his dismay because “dualistic philosophies”, which fundamentally divide the mind and body as opposite forces, have more influence on scientific discourse and medical practice, believes that the Church can still talk about the intrinsic value of the human person as the creation of God that must be respected.
“According to our Catholic vision of man, biological sex is an intrinsic part of the dimension of the human being,” he said. “Transmitting the truth regarding biological sex and the relationship between gender and biological sex is an element of creation and is something that must be respected.”
Although the cardinal said that many people tend to see the body as a “demanding object” that can be used to express themselves or adapt to their liking, said that a united church in teaching can be of great help to the faithful Catholics who wish to defend the dignity of human life.
“And when we proclaim this truth unequivocally, in a clear way, I think that people will no longer be confused, but can begin to rethink the basic truths of life and especially the basic truths about Christ and Christian morality,” he shared.
Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV appointed Mons. Renzo Pegoraro, a bioeticist with a title in Medicine, as the new president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, happening to Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia. Pegorao has been the Chancellor of the Vatican Academy since September 2011.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Kristina Millare
Kristina Millare is an independent journalist with professional experience in communications in the humanitarian aid sector and development, news journalism, entertainment, politics and government, business and entrepreneurship.