Catholic bishops, including those in Vatican offices, are not exactly the most credible authorities on issues pertaining to sexuality these days. Few people would disagree with this, except – maybe – bishops themselves. And, of course, those who are trying hard to be named bishops.

The lack of credibility on sexual morality is not just because of the hierarchs' disastrous mishandling of the still-unfolding clergy sex abuse pandemic. Neither is it the fact that the bishops are unmarried men, who have promised to renounce sexual intimacy and any genital expression of it.

But genitalia are exactly the focus (or mis-focus) of the latest document from the almost exclusively cleric-led Congregation for Catholic Education. It's called, "Male and Female He Created Them: Towards a path of dialogue on the question of gender theory in education." It was released out of the blue on June 10 with no advanced notice or warning. The congregation's stated intention by issuing this 31-page text is to help "guide Catholic contributions to the ongoing debate about human sexuality, and to address the challenges that emerge from gender ideology."

There is one truly remarkable thing about "Male and Female He Created Them." It is the document's call for dialogue, which is put forth in its very title. The author or authors state "the path of dialogue, which involves listening, reasoning and proposing, appears the most effective way towards a positive transformation of concerns and misunderstandings" surround the gender question.

And their alleged reason for advocating dialogue is to overcome "ideologically-driven approaches to the delicate questions around gender." But, as others have pointed out, the document seems to have been written in violation of this very principle. With whom did the authors dialogue before writing this text? Read more via La Croix