The document, which translates to "Infinite Dignity," was developed over five years by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) and addresses threats to human dignity in the contemporary world.
The document begins by stating, "In the light of Revelation, the Church resolutely reiterates and confirms the ontological dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed in Jesus Christ." It addresses numerous modern-day issues, including abortion, human trafficking, poverty, euthanasia, the death penalty, and more, through the lens of scripture and church teaching.
A significant aspect of Dignitas Infinita is its formal reaffirmation and expansion of the Catholic Church's teaching on gender theory. The Church views gender theory as an inadmissible ideology and asserts that attempts to alter an individual's immutable gender are misguided attempts to play God. The document states, "Regarding gender theory, whose scientific coherence is the subject of considerable debate among experts, the Church recalls that human life in all its dimensions, both physical and spiritual, is a gift from God."
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The document further elaborates, "Desiring a personal self-determination, as gender theory prescribes, apart from this fundamental truth that human life is a gift, amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God, entering into competition with the true God of love revealed to us in the Gospel."
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Pope Francis has previously referred to gender ideology as one of the world's "most dangerous ideological colonizations." The document continues to critique gender theory, stating, "Another prominent aspect of gender theory is that it intends to deny the greatest possible difference that exists between living beings: sexual difference."
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Dignitas Infinita, which has undergone extensive revisions over the past few months, was finally approved for publication by Pope Francis on March 25. Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect for the DDF, presented the document at a press conference in Vatican City on Monday.
The document also reaffirms the Church's teachings on abortion and elaborates on its ethical criticisms of surrogate pregnancies, which it views as contrary to the pro-life position. The document states, "The Church also takes a stand against the practice of surrogacy, through which the immensely worthy child becomes a mere object."
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The document further elaborates on the Church's stance against surrogacy, stating, "First and foremost, the practice of surrogacy violates the dignity of the child. Indeed, every child possesses an intangible dignity that is clearly expressed – albeit in a unique and differentiated way – at every stage of his or her life: from the moment of conception, at birth, growing up as a boy or girl, and becoming an adult."
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The Catholic Church maintains that human life must be protected and valued from the moment of conception to natural death, regardless of developmental stage or life circumstances. It has also expressed grave concern over the international industry surrounding surrogate pregnancies.
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The document concludes, "This Declaration does not set out to exhaust such a rich and crucial subject. Instead, its aim is to offer some points for reflection that can help us maintain an awareness of human dignity amid the complex historical moment in which we are living. This is so that we may not lose our way and open ourselves up to more wounds and profound sufferings amid the numerous concerns and anxieties of our time."
Dignitas Infinita provides insight into the Catholic Church's perspective on more than 14 key ethical issues that the Vatican believes require more intense consideration from society. It is not intended to be a complete and exhaustive guide to modern moral controversies, but rather a cursory glance at the most pressing affronts to human dignity.
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