Baltimore, Maryland — U.S. Catholic bishops voted Wednesday to formally ban gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals, approving major revisions to the ethical guidelines that govern thousands of Catholic medical institutions nationwide. The vote occurred during the bishops’ annual meeting in Baltimore, where leaders said the update aligns church policy with recent Vatican guidance.
The new directives incorporate a 2024 Vatican document and a 2023 doctrinal note, which states that Catholic medical facilities “must not perform interventions… that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex.” More than one in seven U.S. patients receive care at Catholic hospitals, some of which operate as the only medical centers in their regions.
The Catholic Health Association said the updated rules still require hospitals to treat transgender patients “with dignity and respect,” though gender-affirming treatments — including surgical, hormonal, and some psychological care — will remain unavailable under the mandate.
During public discussion, Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota said it was important for the church to make a “strong statement” on gender identity. But progressive Catholic organizations pushed back. Advocates such as Michael Sennett said gender-affirming care “is what makes life livable” for many transgender people, while New Ways Ministry leaders described the transition process as a “spiritual imperative” for some.
On the same day, leaders of 10 major progressive religious denominations released a joint statement supporting transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people. Many criticized recent federal and state rollbacks on LGBTQ rights under the Trump administration.
Bishops also approved a separate message on immigration, opposing “indiscriminate mass deportation” and calling for humane reforms.
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