“As Pope Francis would say, this is a battle for the family,” said Dr. Theresa Farnan.
On November 7, Dr. Farnan will present the topic, “A Pastoral Response to Gender Ideology: Balancing Compassion and Truth in Gender Identity Ministry.” The event will be offered to lay ecclesial ministers and interested lay faithful as part of Sacred Heart Major Seminary’s In the Heart of the Church Lay Ecclesial Minister (LEM) Speaker Series.
Dr. Farnan is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center specializing in the challenges of gender ideology. Her work there on the Person and Identity Project aims to promote the Catholic vision of the human person and respond to the challenges of gender ideology by providing free resources.
Dr. Kevin Clarke, Dean of the Institute for Lay Ministry at Sacred Heart, says the presentation comes at a crucial time as lay ecclesial ministers in the Archdiocese of Detroit look for tools to help them minister to individuals struggling with gender confusion.
“How does one bear witness to the truth with the love of Christ without endorsing harmful ideologies? With Archbishop Vigneron's pastoral letter The Good News About God’s Plan and the recent document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), Dignitas Infinita, the topic is more relevant than ever,” said Dr. Clarke. “It is important for us to gather as ministers in the local church not only to discuss these developments but also to support one another in pastoral ministry toward those experiencing gender confusion.”
While the Church offers clear teaching that appeals to common sense and natural law, parents and lay ministers often grapple with how to approach the topic.
“My advice is always to lead with the positive,” Dr. Farnan said. “We have failed to present what the Church teaches, which is a beautiful, positive, affirming teaching. This is a universal teaching that applies to everyone, and we can be confident that the answers lie within it.”
Dr. Farnan will first explain Dignitas Infinita, helping attendees understand what the Church teaches about gender and the human person with an overview of Christian anthropology. She will describe the areas where misunderstandings occur in today’s culture, and how the ideology is taught and introduced to young people. Finally, Dr. Farnan will speak about the role of lay ministers in combatting the ideology, breaking down for them in positive terms how to convey the Church’s teaching and how to walk with young people with compassion.
“The culture is coming in and, in a very destructive way, disorienting and destabilizing these young people, making them doubt who they are. But we have the answers. We start from this fundamental key insight about the human person that is universally true,” said Dr. Farnan. “We can help children remain grounded in reality as they are in distress about their identity or about their bodies.”
In his 1988 apostolic exhortation, Christifideles Laici, Pope John Paul II explains the role of the laity in shaping the moral dimension of the culture. Dr. Farnan will encourage attendees to stand witness to the human person and the sanctity of the family and to confidently and lovingly offer pastoral care for the many people who have been affected by gender confusion.
Dr. Farnan is co-author of the books Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public School Before It’s Too Late and Where Did I Come From? Where Am I Going? How Do I Get There? Straight Answers for Young Catholics. She has taught philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland, Franciscan University of Steubenville, and St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh. She has given lectures on gender ideology, Catholic education, theology of the body, the personalism of Pope John Paul II, the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the vocation and dignity of women.
“Her expertise both in Catholic education and in this topic will shed light on the importance of sexual differences between men and women and provide a framework for ministry within the Church's vision and wisdom with respect to sexual difference and gender confusion,” Dr. Clarke said. “Lay ecclesial ministers will not want to miss her presentation or the chance to ask questions for the discussion between her and our own Father Peter Ryan, SJ, at the In the Heart of the Church Speaker Series.”
The overall goal of the talk and discussion, Dr. Farnan says, will be to give the catechists and lay faithful who attend the knowledge and confidence to impact a young person’s life.
“We want our young people to be joyful, but there’s no joy if you’re at odds with yourself,” said Dr. Farnan. “The way to approach this is with kindness, with love, getting to know them, and helping them to see that God made them and they are good. The message is: whatever you’re experiencing, the Church is here for you to help you navigate into adulthood.”
“A Pastoral Response to Gender Ideology” will take place on November 7 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Register for this event at explore.shms.edu/speakerseries. The cost is $10 per person and includes lunch. Lay ecclesial ministers are encouraged to attend; all lay faithful are welcome.
To find resources on the topic of gender ideology and the Catholic vision of the human person, including videos, articles, definitions of terms, and more, visit the website for the Person and Identity Project at personandidentity.com.