Catholic Instruction on Homologous In Vitro Fertilization
As I prepared to write this paper I was continuously reminded that my wife and I have been graced with three gifts from God. All our children have reached majority and I had the distinct privilege last weekend of standing with my middle child and oldest daughter as we prepared to walk together for the last moments prior to her covenant of fidelity to the light of her life. Of course as we walked the last thought was that Kate and Matt would struggle with fertility, in fact the opposite is the case as the celebrant prayed over them, blessing them and praying that God would allow them to witness their children’s children. But time will reveal the future of this holy union and our prayers for them will continue.
The focus of my discussion is In Vitro Fertilization [IVF], its use by married couples, and the Church’s instruction on these issues in light of scripture, revealed truth and current documents on the subject from Humane Vitae forward including Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [CDF] instructional documents Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae. The main theme may be segmented into two inseparable segments best stated directly from the second part of Dignitas Personae. The CDF instruction here focuses specifically on the problems concerning procreation with specific reference to IVF:
1. “The origin of human life has its authentic context in marriage and in the family, where it is generated through an act which expresses the reciprocal love between a man and a woman. Procreation which is truly responsible vis-à-vis the child to be born must be the fruit of marriage”
2. “The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life”
My entire exposure to the IVF issue occurred in the last few weeks, but during that time I began to make a connection
The focus of my discussion is In Vitro Fertilization [IVF], its use by married couples, and the Church’s instruction on these issues in light of scripture, revealed truth and current documents on the subject from Humane Vitae forward including Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [CDF] instructional documents Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae. The main theme may be segmented into two inseparable segments best stated directly from the second part of Dignitas Personae. The CDF instruction here focuses specifically on the problems concerning procreation with specific reference to IVF:
1. “The origin of human life has its authentic context in marriage and in the family, where it is generated through an act which expresses the reciprocal love between a man and a woman. Procreation which is truly responsible vis-à-vis the child to be born must be the fruit of marriage”
2. “The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life”
My entire exposure to the IVF issue occurred in the last few weeks, but during that time I began to make a connection