What does the Church say?What does the Church say?

Saint Paul MinistriesSaint Paul Ministrieswww.saintpaulministries.netwww.saintpaulministries.net

• At the present time the At the present time the reproductive technology reproductive technology industry in the United States industry in the United States is a huge growth industry is a huge growth industry with little governmental or with little governmental or professional regulations. professional regulations.

• Not too long a go a woman Not too long a go a woman from California gave birth from California gave birth to 8 babies at once.to 8 babies at once.

• Women are given fertility Women are given fertility drugs which can result in drugs which can result in conceiving four, five or in conceiving four, five or in the previous case eight the previous case eight babies.babies.

• Still other women taking the Still other women taking the same fertility drugs produce same fertility drugs produce as many as 30 eggs or more.as many as 30 eggs or more.

• Infertility, the inability to Infertility, the inability to have children, can be found have children, can be found on many occasions in on many occasions in Biblical passages.Biblical passages.

• Infertility is not a new Infertility is not a new problem it is however a problem it is however a problem being overtaken by problem being overtaken by a newly formed a newly formed “reproductive technology” “reproductive technology” industry.industry.

• It is legitimate and It is legitimate and admirable to find ways to admirable to find ways to overcome infertility.overcome infertility.

• Children are a wonderful Children are a wonderful gift of marriage.gift of marriage.

• The eggs are removed and The eggs are removed and fertilized “in vitro,” in glass fertilized “in vitro,” in glass dishes, in this case petri dishes, in this case petri dishes.dishes.

• Often times these fertilized Often times these fertilized eggs are referred to as “test eggs are referred to as “test tube” babies.tube” babies.

• This term acknowledges the This term acknowledges the fact that once fertilized a fact that once fertilized a human baby exists.human baby exists.

• In 1883 through the science In 1883 through the science of Human Embryology, the of Human Embryology, the moment of conception, has moment of conception, has been identified as the been identified as the beginning of life.beginning of life.

• For the sake of argument For the sake of argument let’s say that 15 of the 30 let’s say that 15 of the 30 eggs begin to live.eggs begin to live.

• The 15 continue to live for The 15 continue to live for up to seven days in the petri up to seven days in the petri dish. At the end of this time dish. At the end of this time only the most vigorous only the most vigorous babies survive.babies survive.

• Let’s say there are only 6 Let’s say there are only 6 survivors.survivors.

• There in lies the problem There in lies the problem the other 9 babies died and the other 9 babies died and what became of them? Were what became of them? Were they given the dignity of a they given the dignity of a Christian burial?Christian burial?

• We have 6 babies that might We have 6 babies that might make it to birth but 2 of the make it to birth but 2 of the six might not.six might not.

• Does the doctor attempt to Does the doctor attempt to implant all 6 or only the 4 implant all 6 or only the 4 he believes will survive.he believes will survive.

• For centuries the church has For centuries the church has taught that all life must be taught that all life must be respected from the moment respected from the moment of conception to a natural of conception to a natural death.death.

• The moralist would say that The moralist would say that all six must be implanted all six must be implanted and the mother must be and the mother must be prepared to give birth to all prepared to give birth to all six even if some of the six even if some of the babies are found to suffer a babies are found to suffer a defect.defect.

• Later on down the road of Later on down the road of pregnancy it becomes clear pregnancy it becomes clear that the life of the mother is that the life of the mother is threatened because of thethreatened because of the

• number of babies she is number of babies she is carrying.carrying.

• The medical professional The medical professional then suggest “fetal then suggest “fetal reduction, which is a reduction, which is a process of identifying the process of identifying the weakest of the babies and weakest of the babies and injecting potassium chloride injecting potassium chloride into the babies heart while into the babies heart while still in utero.still in utero.

• The baby then dies and is The baby then dies and is miscarried.miscarried.

• It become clear that in vitro It become clear that in vitro fertilization sets up a pattern fertilization sets up a pattern of death and destruction of of death and destruction of unwanted or unmanageable unwanted or unmanageable situations.situations.

• Turning to the Catechism of Turning to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the the Catholic Church, the official teaching of the official teaching of the church, paragraph church, paragraph 1759 1759 states, states,

• "An evil action cannot be "An evil action cannot be justified by reference to a justified by reference to a good intention" (cf. St. good intention" (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Aquinas, Dec. Dec. praecpraec. 6). The end does not . 6). The end does not justify the means. justify the means.

• The death of the 15 The death of the 15 fertilized eggs in the petri fertilized eggs in the petri dish took human life.dish took human life.

• The death of 9 more before The death of 9 more before reaching the point of reaching the point of implantation again tookimplantation again took

• more human life.more human life.• The termination of other The termination of other

viable babies, by lethal viable babies, by lethal injection again took human injection again took human life.life.

• Now it becomes clear why the Now it becomes clear why the Church is opposed to in vitro Church is opposed to in vitro fertilization.fertilization.

• Another issue of concern is Another issue of concern is that sometimes not all the that sometimes not all the eggs are implanted but are eggs are implanted but are used for research or simply used for research or simply destroyed. Again the taking destroyed. Again the taking of human life.of human life.

• In this situation all the In this situation all the decisions about life and death decisions about life and death are made by man and God is are made by man and God is left out of the process.left out of the process.

• Cloning is also another issue Cloning is also another issue on the horizon.on the horizon.

• Children should arise from Children should arise from an act of love between an act of love between husband and wife in husband and wife in cooperation with God’s cooperation with God’s intent.intent.

• A number of morally A number of morally acceptable methods of acceptable methods of overcoming infertility exist overcoming infertility exist such as surgery, fertility such as surgery, fertility drugs, rhythms, lower tubal drugs, rhythms, lower tubal ovum transfer and others.ovum transfer and others.

• The parents of a child are The parents of a child are not simply a factory whereinnot simply a factory wherein

• raw materials enter by one raw materials enter by one door and a finished product door and a finished product exits by another.exits by another.

• Yes the parents do supply Yes the parents do supply the raw materials but it is the raw materials but it is God that assembles all the God that assembles all the parts.parts.

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