Respect Life Month: Must remain faithful to what we know

By Bishop Robert C. Morlino

(printable version)

Where do you get your knowledge? Are you a TV newshound, a talk show radio junkie, a newspaper reader?

This question is vitally important to our faith development. The upcoming Sunday readings contain this admonition: "Remain faithful to what you have learned and believe, because you know from whom you learned it."

	Related items this week: • Forty Days for Life: Bishop Morlino will pray at abortion clinic • Editorial -- Health care for all: A goal we need to achieve • Forty Days for Life (sidebar)

That is a profound statement and a challenge for us all. It is a common experience to know you heard or read a fact somewhere, but not be able to recall the source. But the source matters - and matters greatly - especially with life issues.

In vitro fertilization is a life issue that requires going to the correct source, Church teachings, in order to come to a correct outcome.

The teachings are widely misunderstood and many people are caught in the confusion between the joy of having a friend or loved one have a long-sought child and the knowledge that the Catholic Church does not permit in vitro fertilization and other forms of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART's).

Commodifying children

The common misunderstanding is that no harm is done in artificial reproduction. But the ART industry commodifies children, sometimes freezing them, destroying those of the "wrong" sex or those who are not growing fast enough or who have the "wrong genes."

Some die as they are frozen, some as they are thawed, some are "donated" for scientific experimentation, and some are directly killed through abortion, because they are considered surplus.

Who can donate a child for scientific experiments? No matter how small, this is a child we are discussing. If you are thinking, "Ah, but they are leftovers and some good might come of it," you need to check the source of your knowledge and beliefs.

Listen to God's word

In my first column this month, I urged you to listen to God's word without hardening your hearts. The subject of in vitro fertilization and other Assisted Reproductive Technologies requires in-depth listening because what is technically possible is not always morally right.

There is great dignity in every child and in the marriage covenant. When non-spouses contribute eggs or sperm, it is contrary to the marriage covenant. When technology is substituted for the marriage act, it separates procreation from the unitive significance of marriage.

Are you aware that the ART industry offers thousands of dollars for an egg from women at certain universities? Do you know that women put their health at risk to undergo the hormone therapy and procedure? Do you know that anyone can buy custom-made embryos in the United States? How is it that it is currently legal and acceptable to deal in the buying and selling of humans?

Recognize true humanity

I hope you are still listening with an open heart, because these are hard truths.

The difficulty for us is that the Artificial Reproductive Technologies industry seems to have a good intent, of helping infertile couples have children. If you listen to the methods used, you see that the technology harms many thousands more children than it helps.

Recognizing the true humanity of each unique human from the moment of fertilization, the Church seeks to protect these young humans.

God's ways are not our ways, yet we are to see in each person God's image and treat each person with the dignity given by God, no matter their age, whether born or unborn, their sex, their color, their disabilities, or any other accident of their inheritance. We are each children of God.

Mission Sunday, Oct. 21