Let’s consider the predicament of a Catholic head teacher who is told by the mother of an enrolled student that her child is transitioning to the other gender. They’ve already contacted doctors, and hormone therapy has begun. The parents insist that everyone has a fundamental right to choose one’s own gender. What advice would you have for that head teacher? About uniform? About access to toilets and changing rooms? About sport? About bullying?

We cannot assume traditional Church teaching has all the answers. What matters most is the short- and long-term welfare of that child, not the inflexible application of Catholic doctrine. Human sexuality remains a mystery, with many surprises still to come.