Surrogate mothers

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amazingcatholic

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What is the Catholic Church’s teaching on being a surrogate or having a surrogate?
 
The church teaches against invitro because of the destruction of embryos. Isn’t that the usual method for surrogacy?
 
But also because conception isn’t made through natural intercouse between the man and his wife, which is both pro-creative and an expression of unititive love.

Jim
 
Surrogacy is morally unacceptable because it entirely separates the procreative and unitive aspects of sex, and also because unused embryos are discarded, that is, newly conceived human life is killed.

However, the fertility industry being what it is, with embryos stored for possible later implantation, it would be an act of great love and reverence for life, for a woman to offer her womb to bear a child who would otherwise die. She might wish to adopt the child, bear it for someone else, bear it for the natural parents (perhaps the wife has had a hysterectomy or lost her fertility in some other fashion), or see it put up for adoption. Regardless of the reason, the child gets to live.

Parents: “We aren’t interested in keeping these frozen embryos anymore. There are about a dozen. We don’t want any more children.”
Potential surrogate: “Well, can I have just one of them? At least that will save one life.”

As far as payment, there are costs connected with any pregnancy and birth, as well as any adoption (if that were the route chosen). If the parents or any other third party wanted to pay these, it is hard to see a moral problem with that.

I am not condoning in vitro or surrogacy in any other circumstances, just stating a way that children could live who would otherwise die as thawed embryos.
 
skelly said:
The church teaches against invitro because of the destruction of embryos. Isn’t that the usual method for surrogacy?
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The moral law prohibits in vitro fertilization because the conception is not result of intercourse. The frequent destruction of embryos is a separate (and ghastly) moral issue.
 
runningdude said:
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skelly:
The church teaches against invitro because of the destruction of embryos. Isn’t that the usual method for surrogacy?
Click to expand...
The moral law prohibits in vitro fertilization because the conception is not result of intercourse. The frequent destruction of embryos is a separate (and ghastly) moral issue.
Click to expand...
I would phrase it that it’s too separated from the conjugal act. There is dispute among moral theologians and no absolute teaching against artifical insemination full stop, to give a counter example. But that’s a highly nuanced topic.

As for surrogacy, as everyone has pointed out, the Church teaches it is not morally licit.
 
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amazingcatholic said:
What is the Catholic Church’s teaching on being a surrogate or having a surrogate?
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Surrogacy, and the procurement thereof, is grave matter against the sixth commandment.

See the Vatican documents Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae.
 
skelly said:
The church teaches against invitro because of the destruction of embryos.
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Clarification: that isn’t why the Church teaches that in vitro is wrong.

That is one of the immoral consequences, but not the reason in vitro itself is immoral.

See Catechism under the sixth commandment and the documents Donum Vitae and Dignitas Personae.
 
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