US CATHOLIC BISHOPS BAN GENDER TRANSITION SURGERIES AT ALL CATHOLIC HOSPITALS
U.S. Catholic bishops voted on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, to officially ban gender transition treatment for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals across the country. The vote took place at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops plenary assembly in Baltimore.
From a Baltimore hotel ballroom, the bishops overwhelmingly approved revisions to their ethical and religious directives that guide the nation's thousands of Catholic health care institutions and providers. The bishops approved the updated text for the Ethics and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services with 206 voting in favor, 8 voting no, and 7 abstaining.
More than one in seven patients in the U.S. are treated each day at Catholic hospitals, according to the Catholic Health Association. Catholic hospitals are the only medical center in some communities.
Most Catholic health care institutions have taken a conservative approach and not offered gender transition treatment, which may involve hormonal, psychological, and surgical treatments. The new directives formalize that mandate. Bishops will have autonomy in making the directives into law for their dioceses.
"With regard to the gender ideology, I think it's very important the church makes a strong statement here," said Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota's Winona Rochester diocese during the public discussion of the revised directives.
The new guidelines incorporate earlier documents on gender identity from the Vatican in 2024 and the U.S. bishops in 2023. In the 2023 doctrinal note, titled "Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body," the bishops specified: "Catholic health care services must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures."
Part III of the updated text tells Catholic healthcare providers not to offer interventions "that aim to transform sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex."
The directive instructs workers to "employ all appropriate resources to mitigate the suffering of those who experience gender incongruence or gender dysphoria," while respecting "the fundamental order of the human body."
The Catholic Health Association thanked the bishops for incorporating much of the organization's feedback into the directives. It said in a statement, "Catholic providers will continue to welcome those who seek medical care from us and identify as transgender. We will continue to treat these individuals with dignity and respect, which is consistent with Catholic social teaching and our moral obligation to serve everyone, particularly those who are marginalized."
Michael Sennett, a transgender man who is active in his Massachusetts parish and serves on the board of New Ways Ministry, stated, "Catholic teaching upholds the invaluable dignity of every human life, and for many trans people, gender affirming care is what makes life livable."
The bishops also overwhelmingly approved a "special message" condemning the Trump administration's immigration agenda.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
The Catholic Church just said no to chemical castration and surgical mutilation.
Two hundred six bishops voted to protect reality.
One in seven American patients goes to a Catholic hospital.
Now none of them will have their bodies destroyed by gender ideology.
Bishop Barron got it right.
The Church needs to make a strong statement against this madness.
Progressive denominations issued statements supporting transgender ideology on the same day.
Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Reform Jews, all lined up for the lies.
The Catholic bishops stood alone for truth.
God made humans male and female.
Catholic hospitals will no longer pretend otherwise.
TAKE ACTION
1. Thank the bishops: Contact the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at +1 (202) 541-3000 or email communications@usccb.org to thank them for this decision.
2. Support Bishop Barron: Contact the Diocese of Winona Rochester at www.dowr.org to thank Bishop Robert Barron for his leadership.
3. Catholic Medical Association: Support Catholic healthcare professionals at www.cathmed.org or call +1 (484) 270-8002.
4. Share this victory: Post with #CatholicTruth #ProtectChildren to show the world the Catholic Church still defends reality.
5. Encourage your bishop: If you're Catholic, contact your local bishop and thank him if he voted for this directive.
