In the context of their discussion on relationships and sexuality education during the Summer 2019 General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, bishops welcomed publication of Male and Female He created them on 10 June by the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome.
Bishops said, “This discussion document makes an important contribution to Catholic thought on gender, and offers guidance to ‘those who work in the education of young people to help them address … the most debated questions around human sexuality’.”
The methodology of the document is based on three principles ‘seen as best-suited to meet the needs of individuals and communities: to listen, to reason and propose’ [para 4].
In particular bishops underscored the document’s proposition on ‘the need to educate children and young people to respect every person in their particularity and difference so that no one should suffer bullying, violence, insults or unjust discrimination based on their specific characteristics (such as special needs, race, religion, sexual tendencies). Essentially, this involves educating for active and responsible citizenship, which is marked by the ability to welcome all legitimate expressions of human personhood with respect’ [para 16].
ENDS
