The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have issued a 14-page document sharing details of their stance on gender ideology.

The pastoral letter stated that the Catholic Church is firmly opposed to medical interventions for gender-questioning children and said that “social transition”, in which a person lives in a role of sex opposite to their own, must also be avoided in Church institutions.

In a press conference, the bishops emphasised that the document is a “pastoral reflection” rather than a “doctrinal statement”.

Bishop David Oakley, Bishop of Northampton, said:“We have published this document because we know that those working in pastoral settings can find this issue complex. It is also an issue that needs to be handled sensitively.

“Accompaniment is crucial to the journey of faith, and we wish to emphasise that everyone is welcome in the Church. It is vital that as followers of Christ we imitate the boundless mercy and compassion of God as we deal with the complexity of another’s life.

“But this needs to be done with a clear understanding of the Catholic vision and understanding of the human person and a holistic view of human sexuality.”

The Intricately Woven by the Lord: A Pastoral Reflection on Gender document comes just weeks after the Vatican also released a document which explicitly rejected gender identity theory and its ideology.