ROME — The Vatican has condemned the “deplorable” practice of human surrogacy and called for a universal ban.
among them declaration of the title dignitas infinitaThe Vatican’s Doctrinal Secretariat (DDF), published on Monday, said surrogacy reduces children to the status of “mere objects”.
The text further condemns “so-called surrogacy,” which disregards human life and turns fetuses in their mothers’ wombs into “human trafficking targets.”
The group claims surrogacy is a “grave violation of the dignity of women and children” and relies on “exploiting the situation to exploit the material needs of the mother”.
“A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,” the declaration says, quoting Pope Francis.
A baby clutches onto a cross as it is handed over for blessing to Pope Francis as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019. (Gregorio Borgia/Associated Press)
DDF declares that every human child has an “intangible dignity” that is articulated at every stage of life, from the very moment of conception.
By virtue of this inalienable dignity, “the child has a fully human (not artificially induced) origin and has the right to receive the gift of life, which represents the dignity of both giver and receiver.” ” it continues.
The text argues that the legitimate desire to have children “cannot be transformed into a ‘right to children’ that does not respect the dignity of the child as the recipient of the gift of life.”
The document goes on to say that “surrogacy violates the dignity of both the child and the woman, whether she is forced to do so or freely chooses to do so.”
In this practice, the book says, “women are cut off from the child growing inside them and become mere means to serve the arbitrary interests and desires of others,” which in every sense of the word is “an essential part of every human being.” The dignity and rights of each person are always recognized individually and never as a means to someone else.”
Just last week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer lifted the state’s ban on “compensated surrogacy.” This means that women can be hired to get pregnant and give birth for another family.
In this photo provided by the Michigan Governor’s Office, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks during a press conference on Friday, May 29, 2020, in Lansing, Michigan (Michigan Governor’s Office, via AP)
The Michigan Catholic Conference harshly criticized the move, saying it exploits poor and vulnerable women.
Paul Long, president of the Michigan Catholic Conference, warned that a change in Michigan law would allow the wealthy to procure children “at the expense of women in financial need.”
“Commercial surrogacy contracts that pay women for the use of reproductive means violate women’s inherent dignity and unethically allow children to be subject to contracts,” Long said. Stated.
Michigan states that the legalization of paid surrogacy would result in a “proliferation of surrogacy agencies and attorneys, whose work will serve both couples and individuals of means and vulnerable and under-financed families regarding the pregnancy, birth, and forfeiture of children.” “It centers around contract negotiations between young women in need.” A Catholic conference was proclaimed.
The Vatican’s new declaration places the topic of surrogacy in the broader context of human dignity, which underlies “the supremacy of the human person and the protection of human rights.”
