499. Why are artificial insemination and artificial fertilization immoral?
(Comp 499) They are immoral because they dissociate procreation from the act with
which the spouses give themselves to each other and so introduce the domination
of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Furthermore,
heterologous insemination and fertilization with the use of techniques that
involve a person other than the married couple infringe upon the right of a
child to be born of a father and mother known to him, bound to each other by
marriage and having the exclusive right to become parents only through each
another.
“In brief”
(CCC 2374) Couples who discover that they are sterile suffer
greatly. "What will you give me," asks Abraham of God, "for I
continue childless?" (Gen 15:2) and Rachel cries to her husband Jacob,
"Give me children, or I shall die!" (Gen 30:1).
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2375) Research aimed at reducing human sterility is to
be encouraged, on condition that it is placed "at the service of the human
person, of his inalienable rights, and his true and integral good according to
the design and will of God" (CDF, Donum
vitae, intro., 2). (CCC 2376) Techniques that entail the dissociation of
husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation
of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral. These techniques
(heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization) infringe the child's
right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by
marriage. They betray the spouses' "right to become a father and a mother
only through each other" (CDF, Donum
vitae II, 1).
Reflection
(CCC 2377) Techniques involving only the married couple
(homologous artificial insemination and fertilization) are perhaps less
reprehensible, yet remain morally unacceptable. They dissociate the sexual act
from the procreative act. The act which brings the child into existence is no
longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another, but one that
"entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors
and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over the origin and
destiny of the human person. Such a relationship of domination is in itself
contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and
children" (CDF, Donum vitae II,
5). "Under the moral aspect procreation is deprived of its proper
perfection when it is not willed as the fruit of the conjugal act, that is to
say, of the specific act of the spouses' union .... Only respect for the link
between the meanings of the conjugal act and respect for the unity of the human
being make possible procreation in conformity with the dignity of the
person" (CDF, Donum vitae II, 4).
No comments:
Post a Comment