The document, "Dignitas Infinita," is some 24 pages with footnotes, and it talks about the God-given, inherent worth and dignity of human beings.
Following the pope's cryptic and often misleading statements about homosexuality, conservative Catholics like Austin Ruse of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) applaud this official document from the Vatican.
"The document is quite strong, and faithful Catholics are quite happy today," he tells AFN.
In it, the pope reiterates the Catholic Church's strong pro-life stance, saying the twisting of language obscures the horrific nature of abortion procedures. It speaks to the dignity of the poor and migrants, and it opposes assisted suicide.
But what has the Left all atwitter is the statement on gender theory.
"Gender ideology is a direct attack on the dignity of the human person because it denies how we were made," Ruse submits.
Pope Francis states personal preferences cannot be called "human rights," and he says eliminating sexual differences eliminates the basis of the family.
Ruse believes the proponents of unbiblical sexual practices needed to be put in their places.
"The overreach of the LGBTs on the question of transgenderism has been a gift," he comments. "There's no question about that. It has really brought into focus, particularly, the young people who have gone through so-called transition."
He commends the pope for his consistency and outspokenness against so-called gender ideology.
"His previous comments on this, while strong, were made in interviews and things like that, but not in a document like this," Ruse notes. "We're very grateful that he's done this."
The document's message is consistent with the Argentine Jesuit's long-standing belief that while people who struggle with gender identity should be welcomed in the church, their so-called "gender ideologies" should not.
In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeats its rejection of "gender theory," or the idea that one's biological sex can change. It says God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and people must not tinker with that or try to "make oneself God."
