In Argentina, a Catholic priest "married" a transgender couple

A scandal has erupted in Argentina after a Catholic wedding was performed in the Archdiocese of Corrientes between two people who publicly identify as transgender. As a result, the archdiocese announced the launch of an official investigation to assess possible disciplinary actions related to the ceremony.

According to Infovaticana.com, the ceremony took place on Jan. 28 at the parish of Nuestra Señora de Pompeia and was performed by a local priest. The public became aware of the marriage a few days later through interviews and graphics circulated in the media and social media, prompting an official response from the local curia. The marriages are Solange Ayala, a man who publicly identifies as a woman, and Isayas, a woman who presents herself as a man. Both have publicly declared their gender identity and active participation in LGBT activism.

According to Ayala’s statements to Radio Sudamericana, the priest acted after consulting with Corrientes Archbishop Monsignor Jose Adolfo Larregain, who she said found no canonical obstacles based on the biological sex of the spouses. Ayala also claimed that the couple went through the standard marriage preparation process and the priest was aware of their situation from the beginning. Although the baptismal certificates were presented with their legal names, the names by which they currently identify themselves were used in the marriage book and at the service.

In response to the widespread publicity, the Archdiocese of Corrientes issued an official statement indicating that the archdiocesan office never received the proper church documentation to process this marriage. The statement emphasizes that «the omission of essential conditions for the proper administration of the sacrament distorts its profound meaning» and «creates confusion in the community of the faithful.» Therefore, the archdiocese confirmed the initiation of an ex officio canonical investigation to analyze the facts and assess possible disciplinary sanctions for those responsible for authorizing or performing the ceremony. The Archdiocese also recalled that the Church is called to receive and accompany all people, but such reception must be done in fidelity to the doctrine and canonical legal order governing the administration of the sacraments.

For its part, the parish of Nuestra Señora de Pompeia recalled in a statement that Christian marriage requires the absence of canonical obstacles and true consent, understood «as the Church understands and teaches.» Without elaborating on the details of the case, citing respect for privacy, the parish announced that it is strengthening its procedures for interviewing, training and vetting of marriages to avoid similar situations in the future. The Code of Canon Law defines marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman for the good of the spouses and for the procreation and education of children. Catholic doctrine teaches that biological sex is an objective and unchangeable fact, regardless of personal self-identification.

Recall, earlier we reported that in New York, in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, which is under the jurisdiction of the Greek Archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the United States (Phanar), an ecumenical prayer service was held, which caused a significant resonance. The event was attended by representatives of various Christian denominations, including Katrina Foster, the first open lesbian to hold the position of «bishop» in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), and «priestess» Kirsten Guidero, known for promoting gender theory.