| The official journal
of the Human Family
Foundation, "Sequela" is short for "Sequela Christi" (the following of Christ). This holding fast to the very person of Jesus is the simple essence of the Christian life. (cf. VS, 19) |
Featured Friends Douglas Bushman
John F. Crosby
John Grabowski
Mo Woltering
Kenneth Schmitz
Fr. C.J. McCloskey
Janet Smith
Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ
Editorial
It started when the Jones Institute, a fertility clinic in Virginia, announced they were producing human embryos specifically for the purposes of research--create and kill. Soon after Advance Cell Technology of Massachusetts announced they were attempting to clone human embryos solely for research--clone and kill. Then the Italian fertility specialist, Severino Antinori, announced that he was to impregnate two hundred women with human clones. Most recently, it has been reported that scientists are creating embryos that have a mix of human DNA and cow or pig DNA. How did all this happen? It seems that any vestiges of respect for the human person are completely gone. Science has been allowed to determine the value of the human person, because couples are no longer protecting the dignity of human procreation. With the separation of human procreation from the holy context of the conjugal act--whether it be by means of contraception or IVF--the value of children is reduced to a factor of desirability. Instead of accepting children as gifts from the Creator, it's saying, "We don't want children no matter what," or "We want children at any cost." Children become objects in either case. Is it any wonder that scientists are treating children like objects too. The dignity of the human person is profoundly tied to the integrity of marriage. If we do not restore the integrity of marriage, human dignity will continue to suffer. It must also be remembered that the objective dignity of the person remains the same no matter how he or she was conceived. God allows human generation to take place in many ways which violate His design. Yet the resulting human person is an incomparable good. As we go forward, there are many new laboratory techniques which violate the sanctity of human generation. We must oppose them in solidarity. At the same time, they are many people to protect. We must protect them in solidarity.
Response to Bush's Decision on Human Embryo Research Comments Back Issues
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