As science advances, we are faced with more and more issues concerning the life and dignity of the human person. This is especially so with regard to our smallest brothers and sisters still in their mothers’ wombs. While the development of ultrasound technology, amniocentesis, and other prenatal studies and tests has given us a better understanding of our human development from the very moment of conception, this knowledge has also led to the abuse and death of innocent children.
Let us begin with our youngest victims, those still in the embryonic stage of development. There are scientists that claim that embryonic stem cells could be the cure for a multitude of illnesses, diseases and conditions. However, in order to obtain these embryonic stem cells, new human lives are created, allowed to develop for a short time, and then killed by the act of removing the embryonic stem cells.
For some of you, this may seem like a difficult issue since someone’s life could be saved through the research. But no matter how these young children are conceived – whether in a petri dish in a cold lab, or in the warmth of their mother’s womb – they are worthy of the same protection of life and dignity that you and I enjoy. And ending their life is abortion. And as the Catechism states: “One must hold as licit procedures carried out on the human embryo which respect the life and integrity of the embryo and do not involve disproportionate risks for it, but are directed toward its healing, the improvement of its condition of health, or its individual survival.” (CCC #2275) In other words, “Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.” (CCC#2274) Quite simply, we treat embryos for who they are – children of God.
This teaching against embryonic stem cell research is one of the Church’s “non-negotiable” issues. This means that it is always morally wrong and must never be promoted by law. There is no room from prudential judgment, differing opinions, or special exceptions. No matter how intriguing, inspiring or heartfelt the reason, it is still wrong.
Even if we knew for certain that killing the embryo would save another life, it would still be wrong, just as, for example, killing your spouse to give your dying child his healthy heart would be wrong. And with embryonic stem cell research, there is only the potential for life-saving treatments, and hundreds, even thousands, of children will be killed in the process of finding out if the treatments will work. To date, no person has benefited from embryonic stem cell research.
Conversely, many individuals have received life-enhancing and life-saving treatments from adult stem cell treatments, in which no life is threatened. The cells are simply taken from umbilical cord blood after an infant is born, or plucked from the body of someone who has developed to the point that the cells are not necessary for life. Often the cells are taken from a different area of the body of the very person who is to receive the adult stem cell treatment. This helps ensure that the cells are not rejected.
God has provided us with a truly life-giving source of healing. We need to encourage our scientists to accept this gift and focus their energies on treatments that save lives, not end them.
Prenatal diagnoses of many fetal abnormalities, diseases, and conditions are becoming commonplace, and can take place as early as a few days after conception. And while this can be a positive experience for parents in that they can start preparing for the care of their special needs children before they are born, often, this is not the reaction. Sadly, many parents immediately schedule an appointment to kill their child through abortion.
There are parents that have prenatal testing to determine the sex of their child and then abort if it is not the desired sex. This happens with naturally occurring pregnancies, and also in the in vitro fertilization process, where certain sexed embryos are chosen for implantation in the mother’s womb and the others simply left to die.
The Catechism again gives us direction in this area: “Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, ‘if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safeguarding or healing as an individual...It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence.’” (CCC#2274)
Therefore, it is okay to seek medical diagnoses for your children, even while in the womb, but only if your desire is for protecting or healing them, or preparing for their care, and only if it is done for your child’s well-being, without risk to their health or life.
A final issue that has been in the press recently is the practice of early induction of labor in cases where the child will die at birth or soon after. Most often, this practice is undertaken to deliver a child with fatal anomalies such as anencephaly (where the child’s brain and skull fail to develop beyond the brain stem), and renal agenesis (where the kidneys and lungs are underdeveloped).
Specific directions have been given for these cases: “The fact that the life of a child suffering from anencephaly [or other fatal anomalies] will probably be brief cannot excuse directly causing death before ‘viability’ or gravely endangering the child’s life after ‘viability’ as a result of the complications of prematurity.” Moral Principles Concerning Infants with Anencephaly, Committee on Doctrine, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1998. Again, we treat these children just as we treat all others – as children of God. If we would not unnecessarily subject a normal child to prematurity, we should not subject a child with fatal anomalies to prematurity. And if the early induction causes the child’s death, it is also abortion. Every day of the child’s life, in and out of the womb, no matter how short, should be celebrated, not ended even sooner – for in every child we see the face of God.