Update: Read Why Catholics Must Reject IVF, published in May 2024
Speech of Pope Pius XII to Catholic Doctors in Rome for their 4th International Congress (Sept. 29, 1949), Acta Apostolicae Sedis 49:
"Artificial fertilization, outside of marriage, is to be condemned outright as immoral. Such is indeed the natural law and the positive divine law, that the procreation of a new life can only be the fruit of marriage. Marriage alone safeguards the dignity of the spouses (mainly the woman in this case), their personal property. By itself, only it provides for the good and education of the child. Consequently, on the condemnation of artificial fertilization outside the conjugal union, no difference of opinion is possible between Catholics. A child conceived under these conditions would, by the very fact, be illegitimate.
"Artificial fertilization in marriage, but produced by the active element of a third party, is also immoral and, as such, to be condemned without appeal. Only the spouses have a reciprocal right over their body to engender a new life, an exclusive, non-transferable, inalienable right. And that must also be taken into consideration of the child. To anyone who gives life to a small being, nature imposes, by virtue of this bond, the burden of its conservation and education. But between the legitimate husband and the child, the fruit of the active element of a third party (the spouse was he consenting), there is no bond of origin, no moral and legal bond of conjugal procreation.
"As for the lawfulness of artificial fertilization in marriage, it suffices for us, for the moment, to recall these principles of natural law: the simple fact that the result to which we aim is achieved by this route, does not justify the use of the medium itself; nor the desire, in itself very legitimate among spouses, to have a child, is not enough to prove the legitimacy of the recourse to artificial fertilization, which would fulfill this desire.
"Let it not be forgotten: only the procreation of a new life according to the will and the plan of the Creator carries with it, to an astonishing degree of perfection, the achievement of the aims pursued. It is, at the same time, in conformity with the bodily and spiritual nature and with the dignity of the spouses, with the normal and happy development of the child."
6 comment(s):
My husband and I are refreshed with your writing above. The doctors informed us recently that we are infetile. We placed a "Congratulation, You're pregnant" card into a box and wrapped it nicely. We placed it in our living room. We continue our prayers. Everytime we see the gift box, we remember that God loves us and we are waiting for God's Gift.
Very inspirational story, anonymous. Thank you for sharing.
By this logic an infected appendix should be allowed to burst and a patient to die rather than take advantage of medical advances bestowed by the Almighty to advance the human race.
Is the use IVF to avoid the genetic deformity carried by one of the parents (Cystic Fibrosis, Marfan Syndrome, ect) contrary to HIS will, or is it simoly the manifestation of using the gifts HE has made available?
So happy I have my beautiful twins through invitro; and it was God who whispered in my ear one afternoon I had HIS blessings and I would be blessed with a son...and he surprised me with a daughter as well...Thank you God for providing me with a doctor who could fulfill Your blessing...
If it was not God's will for a loving/stable husband and wife to have a child through IVF then wouldn't he prevent the process from working.
I believe its is appalling that people judge those who have gone through IVF. Their children are no different from naturally conceived children. Why would God create a world where IVF was possible if he himself thought it was evil. And how can you judge with no experience of IVF...plain ignorant.
IVF or the In-Vitro Fertilization is a process in which the egg cells are made to be fertilized by a sperm, which is outside the womb of the woman, that is to say, in vitro
in vitro fertilization
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