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Draft USCCB Document Addresses Confusion over Reproductive Technologies

By Patrick B. Craine

BALTIMORE, Maryland, October 30, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new draft document on reproductive technologies will be considered by the U.S. bishops at their upcoming annual plenary assembly, in Baltimore from November 16-19.  Titled "Life-Giving Love in an Age of Technology," the 22-page document sets the forth the Church's teaching that procreation can never be licitly separated from the union of husband and wife, reports Catholic News Service.

While the Church feels compassion for those experiencing "unanticipated childlessness," the draft insists that some reproductive technologies "are not legitimate ways to solve" problems with infertility.

"Some solutions offered to infertile couples do justice to their dignity as individuals and as a couple, and to the full human dignity of their child, by helping their marital act to be life-giving," the draft reads. "Others are morally flawed efforts to replace the marital act that are not worthy of the tremendous gift God offers to husband and wife by calling them together as spouses and parents."

In an introduction, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, points to the need for such a document.  He says there is "great confusion among lay Catholics regarding the church's teaching on human reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization, cloning and other morally problematic techniques."

"Any method of 'making babies' is considered by many to be 'pro-life,'" he said.

But, as the draft explains, procreation must always respect the inherent dignity of the child.  "Children are not parents' possessions to manufacture, manipulate or design," it says.  "Rather, they are fellow persons with full human dignity, and parents are called to accept, care for and raise them to be new members of God's family and his kingdom.  Children deserve to be 'begotten, not made.'"

The draft reiterates the Church's condemnation of sperm and egg donation, in addition to surrogate motherhood, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and human cloning.

It also addresses the problem of "embryo adoption," in which a woman is implanted with a 'spare' frozen embryo that would otherwise have been killed.  The advancement of reproductive technologies has led to massive amounts of these frozen embryos, and some pro-life Catholics have argued in favour of their adoption.

Last December, in Dignitas Personae, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith appeared to rule that the practice is unacceptable just as is artificial reproduction.

According the U.S. bishops' draft, "Serious moral concerns have been raised about embryo adoption, particularly as it requires the wife in the adopting couple to receive into her womb an embryonic child who was not conceived through her bodily union with her husband."

"The terrible plight of abandoned frozen embryos underscores the need for our society to end practices such as IVF that regularly produce so many 'spare' or unwanted human beings," it explains.

There are, however, licit ways for infertile couples to welcome children, the draft says, including adoption, which it calls "a wonderful way to build a family."

Regarding the physical healing of infertility, the document says, "The challenge is to diagnose and address problems so these (male and female) bodies can function as they should -- and there is no moral problem in doing this, any more than there is in other medical treatments to restore health."

"Hormonal treatment and other medications, conventional or laser surgery to repair damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, means for alleviating male infertility factors, and other restorative treatments are available," it continues.  They also advocate the use of natural family planning to improve the couple's efforts at conceiving.

"These avenues do not substitute for the married couple's act of loving union," the draft explains.  "Rather, they assist this act in reaching its potential for giving rise to a new human life."

Cardinal Rigali, in his introduction, indicates that the rise of reproductive technologies has led to a dehumanization of the unborn, which must be combated even among Catholics.

"The widespread moral acceptance of IVF and the large numbers of frozen embryos have contributed to the general public attitude that human embryos are less than human and are better used for scientific experimentation rather than 'wasted'," he says.  "There is a need to help Catholics understand specific differences between the Catholic understanding and a secular understanding of human life, and how these distinctions have led to different judgments on technologies that may assist human reproduction."

At their plenary assembly next month, the U.S. bishops will also discuss and vote on a pastoral letter about marriage, entitled 'Love and Life in the Divine Plan'.

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