Roman Catholic Church

Beginning of Life

Quoted in Instructions to Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Issues from original document Donum Vitae:

"Thus the fruit of human generation, from the first moment of its existence, that is to say, from the moment the zygote has formed, demands the unconditional respect that is morally due to the human being in his bodily and spiritual totality. The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life." (Dignitas Personae^[1])

Abortion

Official Statement: from Section 14 of Humanae Vitae^[2]. Abortion is prohibited for any reason, including medical.

"Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children." (Section 14 of Humanae Vitae^[3])

Regarding selective abortions after fertility treatment (from Dignitas Personae, part 2, section 21):

"From the ethical point of view, embryo reduction is an intentional selective abortion. It is in fact the deliberate and direct elimination of one or more innocent human beings in the initial phase of their existence and as such it always constitutes a grave moral disorder." (Instruction Dignitas Personae, part 2, section 21)

General view of the embryo See Declaration on Procured Abortion (quoted in Donum Vitae, part 5, section 1.1):

"From the time that the ovum is fertilized, a new life is begun which is neither that of the father nor of the mother; it is rather the life of a new human being with his own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already. To this perpetual evidence ... modern genetic science brings valuable confirmation. It has demonstrated that, from the first instant, the programme is fixed as to what this living being will be: a man, this individual-man with his characteristic aspects already well determined. Right from fertilization is begun the adventure of a human life, and each of its great capacities requires time ... to find its place and to be in a position to act." (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Procured Abortion, 12-13: AAS 66 (1974) 738.)

Contraception

Official Statement:

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Infertility & Reproduction

Reproductive Technology

Official Statement:

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Frozen Oocytes

Official Statement:

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Science & Technology

Emerging Technologies

Ethical Use of Technology

Official Statement:

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Issues of Human Dignity & Discrimination

Disability Ethics

Official Statement:

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Eugenics

Official Statements:

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Notes

[1] ttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20081208_dignitas-personae_en.html

[2] ttp://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

[3] ttp://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html

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Roman Catholic Church

Contents

Beginning of Life

Infertility & Reproduction

Reproductive Technology

Healthcare & Medicine

Science & Technology

Biotechnology

Emerging Technologies

Genetic Ethics

End of Life

Issues of Human Dignity & Discrimination

Notes

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