Tribulation Times
February 10, 2025
(Rom 12:2) And be
not conformed to this world: but be reformed in the newness of your
mind, that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable and the
perfect will of God.
USCCB: A Catholic Primer on In Vitro Fertilization
WORD ON FIRE: Despite Appearances, IVF is NOT Pro-Life
NEWS HEADLINE: Pentagon strips travel reimbursement for troops seeking abortions, fertility treatment
CONCLUSION: The Christian Family, In Vitro Fertilization, and Heroic Witness to True Love by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge
The
Christian family is called to a heroic witness to true love in every
generation, and in a particular way in our time. The human person bears
within himself or herself the very image and likeness of God who is love
(cf. 1 Jn. 4:8), and by looking to and relying upon the God who offers
true hope and the possibility of everlasting happiness, all persons may
enjoy the fulfillment of their good and natural desires in the fullness
of time. The Christian family has a powerful spiritual ally in the
Church, whose members are called to walk with those couples experiencing
infertility, offering them life-giving and restorative options, while
also addressing those moral injustices that would make impossible our
experience of true happiness.
God wills our perfection and
sanctity, so that we all may have a future full of hope (cf. Jer.
29:11). God is ever calling each one of us to deeper trust and
relationship with him, despite our challenges and our tendency in this
life to fall short of perfection. We are each called to live as saints,
as brothers and sisters who share a universal call to holiness, which
requires following God’s commandments and the Gospel of Life. When we
have failed to do so, God never abandons us. As Pope Francis has
written, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of
seeking his mercy." God always stands ready to embrace us in his love
and allows us to begin anew.
I ask all people of faith and
goodwill to pray for those married couples experiencing infertility, for
the efficacy of life-affirming fertility care, for an openness to God’s
love and an ever-deeper experience of the virtues, and for the grace to
accept whatever God’s will may be. The threats posed by IVF to human
dignity and human rights are sometimes very obvious and at other times
quite subtle, but nevertheless knowable to all and of particular concern
for those of faith. I ask all people of goodwill to engage in greater
thoughtful and rational reflection on the costs associated with the IVF
industry, which are evident by human reason. Finally, I ask elected
officials to come together to work toward the highest good possible to
ensure that law is ordered to the good of all human persons and,
particularly, the good of the family.
EXAUDI: In Vitro Fertilization: The Catholic Church and the Message of the Last Three Popes
The Catholic Church maintains a clear
position regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF), considering it morally
unacceptable. This position is based on the conviction that human
procreation must be the result of a natural conjugal act between a man
and a woman united in marriage.
In 1987, the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith issued the instruction “Donum Vitae”, which
specifically addresses IVF. This document points out that the
fertilization of the egg in a test tube separates procreation from the
conjugal act, which raises serious ethical and moral questions. In
addition, it condemns heterologous artificial fertilization, that is,
that which uses gametes from a donor outside the marriage, considering
it contrary to marital unity and the right of the child to be conceived
within marriage.
Subsequently, in 2008, the instruction “Dignitas
Personae” was published, which reaffirms and updates the Church’s
teaching on these techniques. This document stresses that in vitro
conception results from a technical action that precedes fertilization,
and is not obtained or desired as the expression and fruit of a specific
act of the conjugal union. It also underlines that in the context of
IVF techniques, the number of sacrificed embryos is very high, exceeding
80% in the most important centers, which raises serious ethical
concerns about respect for human life from its inception.
Over the years, the Popes have reiterated this teaching:
- John Paul II: In the encyclical “Evangelium vitae” (1995), he condemns the use of human embryos and fetuses as biological material for experimentation or transplantation, a practice that often involves the creation of embryos through IVF for research purposes.
- Benedict XVI: In the encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (2009), he warns about practices such as IVF, embryo research and cloning, pointing out that they are born and promoted in a culture that believes it has unraveled every mystery, reaching the root of life, which can lead to improper manipulation of human life.
- Francis: Although he has not issued specific documents on IVF, he has emphasized on various occasions the importance of respecting human life from conception and has expressed concern about practices that exploit human life in its most vulnerable stages.
The Desert Fathers: sayings of the Early Christian Monks: Humility
67.
The hermits said, 'We become more humbled when we are tempted, because
God, knowing our weakness, protects us. But if we boast of our own
strength, he takes away his protection, and we are lost.'
Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com
"Have ANY Catholic Question? Just ask Ron Smith at: hfministry@roadrunner.com
This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.
