What should be done for frozen embryos?

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Mavzylor

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I know that there is no official answer by the church, but I can’t seem to even decide for myself where I stand on the issue. The question was posed recently on Catholic Answers Live. One perspective was that rescuing the snowflake children by having the embryos implanted while perhaps not morally licit could be compared to breaking and entering into a building in danger to save a child. The guest proposed considering having the embryos Baptized and unfreezing them, as if removing them from life support, letting them die a natural death. I read through some old threads on the topic, but I’m hoping to hear some more perspectives.

On the one hand, as has been brought up in other threads, rescuing the embryos could encourage IVF, or even prompt a business scam where embryos are frozen just to make money from those that are rescuing them. On the other hand, I don’t see how letting a frozen embryo die is much different than refusing foster care to children in need. I think I’m leaning towards supporting the adoption and implanting of frozen embryos, because I don’t think we should deny help to those in need just because it could have negative repercussions. For example, you wouldn’t refuse to buy a starving man lunch just because another starving person might beat him up and steal the lunch.

As far as I understand, IVF is wrong because it takes the unitive aspect out of sex, and denies the child it’s right to being a product of a loving, unitive act and developing in its mother’s womb, and also leads to the death or freezing of several other embryos, but none of this holds true for the isolated act of implanting an embryo (besides that it is still being denied its right to develop in its mother’s womb, but it already has if its frozen).

Tl;dr: I’m looking for more ideas to solve the issue, or more perspectives on the 2 ideas - Baptize, unfreeze, and let die vs. adopt and implant the embryos.
 
http://www.vatican.va//roman_curia/...h_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

WHAT JUDGMENT SHOULD BE MADE ON OTHER PROCEDURES OF MANIPULATING EMBRYOS CONNECTED WITH THE “TECHNIQUES OF HUMAN REPRODUCTION”?
Techniques of fertilization in vitro can open the way to other forms of biological and genetic manipulation of human embryos, such as attempts or plans for fertilization between human and animal gametes and the gestation of human embryos in the uterus of animals, or the hypothesis or project of constructing artificial uteruses for the human embryo. These procedures are contrary to the human dignity proper to the embryo, and at the same time they are contrary to the right of every person to be conceived and to be born within marriage and from marriage.(32) Also, attempts or hypotheses for obtaining a human being without any connection with sexuality through “twin fission”, cloning or parthenogenesis are to be considered contrary to the moral law, since they are in opposition to the dignity both of human procreation and of the conjugal union.

The freezing of embryos, even when carried out in order to preserve the life of an embryo - cryopreservation - constitutes an offence against the respect due to human beings by exposing them to grave risks of death or harm to their physical integrity and depriving them, at least temporarily, of maternal shelter and gestation, thus placing them in a situation in which further offences and manipulation are possible.

Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities. These manipulations are contrary to the personal dignity of the human being and his or her integrity and identity. Therefore in no way can they be justified on the grounds of possible beneficial consequences for future humanity. (33) Every person must be respected for himself: in this consists the dignity and right of every human being from his or her beginning.

II. INTERVENTIONS UPON HUMAN PROCREATION

By “artificial procreation” or " artificial fertilization" are understood here the different technical procedures directed towards obtaining a human conception in a manner other than the sexual union of man and woman. This Instruction deals with fertilization of an ovum in a test-tube (in vitro fertilization) and artificial insemination through transfer into the woman’s genital tracts of previously collected sperm.
 
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http://www.vatican.va//roman_curia/...h_doc_19870222_respect-for-human-life_en.html

CONCLUSION
The spread of technologies of intervention in the processes of human procreation raises very serious moral problems in relation to the respect due to the human being from the moment of conception, to the dignity of the person, of his or her sexuality, and of the transmission of life. With this Instruction the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in fulfilling its responsibility to promote and defend the Church’s teaching in so serious a matter, addresses a new and heartfelt invitation to all those who, by reason of their role and their commitment, can exercise a positive influence and ensure that, in the family and in society, due respect is accorded to life and love. It addresses this invitation to those responsible for the formation of consciences and of public opinion, to scientists and medical professionals, to jurists and politicians. It hopes that all will understand the incompatibility between recognition of the dignity of the human person and contempt for life and love, between faith in the living God and the claim to decide arbitrarily the origin and fate of a human being.
 
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In particular, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith addresses an invitation with confidence and encouragement to theologians, and above all to moralists, that they study more deeply and make eves more accessible to the faithful the contents of the teaching of the Church’s Magisterium in the light of a valid anthropology in the matter of sexuality and marriage and in the context of the necessary interdisciplinary approach. Thus they will make it possible to understand ever more clearly the reasons for and the validity of this teaching. By defending man against the excesses of his own power, the Church of God reminds him of the reasons for his true nobility; only in this way can the possibility of living and loving with that dignity and liberty which derive from respect for the truth be ensured for the men and women of tomorrow. The precise indications which are offered in the present Instruction therefore are not meant to halt the effort of reflection but rather to give it a renewed impulse in unrenounceable fidelity to the teaching of the Church.

In the light of the truth about the gift of human life and in the light of the moral principles which flow from that truth, everyone is invited to act in the area of responsibility proper to each and, like the good Samaritan, to recognize as a neighbour even the littlest among the children of men (Cf . Lk 10: 2 9-37). Here Christ’s words find a new and particular echo: “What you do to one of the least of my brethren, you do unto me” (Mt 25:40).

During an audience granted to the undersigned Prefect after the plenary session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, approved this Instruction and ordered it to be published.

Given at Rome, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, February 22, 1987, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the Apostle.

JOSEPH Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

ALBERTO BOVONE
Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Numidia Secretary

Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.
 
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That is definitely not Church teaching. All offspring of human beings have souls. Just because human beings are not uniting the egg and sperm the way God intended, does not mean that God plays no part in the child’s creation.
 
Well, I personally feel we should not play God as it is said in Isaiah 66:9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver? says the Lord; shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb? says your God. its the decision of God whether to give children or not,all other forms of manipulating it the lab is sinful,immoral unethical ,perverse ,and diabolical, in the sight of God and men.They are all artificial and not approved by God .

2 Maccabees 7:22 “I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

Finally,if you don"t get children, adopted one, is the best to do in the sight of the Lord.
 
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Those are some of the most disgusting quotes I’ve ever read.

That wasn’t Mary talking - it was the devil.
 
Those are quotes from the Bayside apparitions.

The Church has explicitly declared they are NOT supernatural (in other words, they’re a fraud)

https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/bayside.htm

“Eventually the Bayside apparitions were judged not supernatural by the Bishop of Brooklyn, a decision rejected by Veronica and her followers because neither Veronica nor any witnesses were interviewed. Whatever the defects of the decision process, it is nonetheless true that these “revelations” are demonstrably false. Veronica’s Lady is not only ignorant of English, but of Catholic terminology, history and theology.”
 
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Thanks for the info and cautioning me, will delete it immediately , i read the content
 
Hey you’re welcome Francis.

That’s what these forums are designed for, to spread Catholic Truth!
 
Anyone entering into this discussion late should know that Francis replaced some questionable quotations with a solid and sure document from the Vatican.
 
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