Editorial

We all want scientists to find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and Parkinson's. But the question still remains: does the end justify the means?

Yes, say some members of Congress. More than 200 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter to President George W. Bush on April 28 urging him to approve using human embryos to obtain stem cells for research.

The letter supported the destruction of new human embryos for stem-cell research. The lawmakers based their letter on an article published in the March 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. That article noted that Harvard scientists - using private funds - had killed 344 human embryos to produce 17 new embryonic stem-cell lines. The congressmen are demanding federal funding for research using these cell lines and others that may be created in the future.

Sad commentary. Richard Doerflinger disagrees. He is deputy director of the U.S. Bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. Doerflinger himself wrote a letter to members of Congress. He described their letter to the president as "a sad commentary on lawmakers' level of knowledge on this issue" and urged the signers to retract their signatures.

Doerflinger said they need to be aware of some basic facts. The Harvard cell lines are not suitable for clinical use. In fact, they have the same qualities that supposedly make the currently eligible cell lines unsuitable.

"Recent studies suggest that all human embryonic stem-cell lines may develop genetic abnormalities similar to those found in cancer cells. This is a problem with embryonic stem cells in general, preventing their use in humans for the foreseeable future," said Doerflinger.

Priest agrees. Fr. Patrick F. Norris, a Dominican priest who serves as pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Madison, agrees that we don't know how embryonic stem cells will grow in human beings. Father Norris was an analytical chemist before he became a priest and taught medical ethics for 10 years. He spoke recently to the Madison Serra Club on ethical issues in stem-cell research.

Scientists don't know how to control embryonic stem cells, Father Norris pointed out. Some cells implanted in brains have grown uncontrollably. Autopsies showed skin, hair, and teeth in brains.

Although embryonic stem cells have the potential to cure diseases, the priest notes that the only cures so far have been with adult stem cells. Adult stem cell research may be quite beneficial - and it is ethical.

Life begins at conception. As Catholics we believe that life begins at conception. "Personhood doesn't depend on if you're in a petri dish or in the womb," said Father Norris.

Some call for using cells harvested from embryos discarded in fertility clinics. They say it's the lesser of two evils - the embryos would be destroyed anyway. But Catholic teaching warns us never to intend to do evil.

I urge concerned citizens to contact their congressional representatives and President Bush. Tell them the end does NOT justify the means. Encourage our scientists to do ethical research with adult stem cells. We must study this issue further and not be drawn into destroying human embryos for questionable research.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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Conscience reminds him of truth: life begins at conception

To the editor:

For years, regarding abortion and politics, I employed Mr. Murphy's argument (Catholic Herald Mailbag, 4/1/04) that abortion is only one of many issues. I even covered myself with the "personally opposed, but . . ." argument. In truth, maintaining those positions required constant struggles with my conscience. How many struggle today?

In moments of grace triggered by external events, my conscience reminded me of the truth that life begins at conception, and any termination of that new life is wrong. I deluged that truth with a torrent of complex arguments, obscuring it, enabling me to disregard it. Could this be a moment of grace for those struggling today?

John Kerry reportedly received Holy Communion in Boston on Easter Sunday. This after Boston's Archbishop Sean O'Malley instructed Catholic politicians who back abortion rights to abstain from Communion. What will the response be?

From Christifideles Laici, 1988, ". . . the common outcry, . . . justly made on behalf of human rights - . . . the right to health, home, work, family, culture - is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."

Not only lives, but souls hang in the balance.

Ronald Faust, Cross Plains