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To: kellynla

2. DOES HETEROLOGOUS ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZATION CONFORM TO THE DIGNITY OF THE COUPLE AND TO THE TRUTH OF MARRIAGE? 

Through IVF and ET and heterologous artificial insemination, human conception is achieved through the fusion of gametes of at least one donor other than the spouses who are united in marriage. Heterologous artificial fertilization is contrary to the unity of marriage, to the dignity of the spouses, to the vocation proper to parents, and to the child's right to be conceived and brought into the world in marriage and from marriage.(36) Respect for the unity of marriage and for conjugal fidelity demands that the child be conceived in marriage; the bond existing between husband and wife accords the spouses, in an objective and inalienable manner, the exclusive right to become father and mother solely through each other.(37) Recourse to the gametes of a third person, in order to have sperm or ovum available, constitutes a violation of the reciprocal commitment of the spouses and a grave lack in regard to that essential property of marriage which is its unity. Heterologous artificial fertilization violates the rights of the child; it deprives him of his filial relationship with his parental origins and can hinder the maturing of his personal identity. Furthermore, it offends the common vocation of the spouses who are called to fatherhood and motherhood: it objectively deprives conjugal fruitfulness of its unity and integrity; it brings about and manifests a rupture between genetic parenthood, gestational parenthood and responsibility for upbringing. Such damage to the personal relationships within the family has repercussions on civil society: what threatens the unity and stability of the family is a source of dissension, disorder and injustice in the whole of social life. These reasons lead to a negative moral judgment concerning heterologous artificial fertilization: consequently fertilization of a married woman with the sperm of a donor different from her husband and fertilization with the husband's sperm of an ovum not coming from his wife are morally illicit. Furthermore, the artificial fertilization of a woman who is unmarried or a widow, whoever the donor may be, cannot be morally justified. 

The desire to have a child and the love between spouses who long to obviate a sterility which cannot be overcome in any other way constitute understandable motivations; but subjectively good intentions do not render heterologous artificial fertilization conformable to the objective and inalienable properties of marriage or respectful of the rights of the child and of the spouses.

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, >Instruction on respect for human life in its origin and on the dignity of procreation (Donum vitae)), 22 Feb 1987.

Bottom line: I don't know why the California Catholic Conference is speaking out in support of this doctor. What she is doing is immoral anyway, regardless if it's for a couple of lesbians or for a married (heterosexual) couple.

11 posted on 08/19/2008 7:00:00 PM PDT by markomalley (Extra ecclesiam nulla salus)
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To: markomalley
Amen. This is a perfect example of how something that initially appears as a "good" - i.e. helping infertile couples to have a family - wreaks unintended consequences down the road. Who knew little Louise Brown would lead to this?

God knew. And the Catholic Church knew. But in the secular world, it's too late to put the genie back in the bottle.

18 posted on 08/19/2008 9:02:32 PM PDT by informavoracious (Drill Here, Drill Now!)
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To: markomalley; Huber; Tanniker Smith; NYer; sionnsar; lightman; wagglebee; narses
The Catholic Church has always been against in vitro fertilization. See markomalley's reply #11 for an instruction written over 20 years ago.
24 posted on 08/20/2008 6:15:29 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
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