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Dear Father Angelo,

My name is Giusi and I’m 45 years old. I got married at the age of 35 and my husband and I wished to have children asap but they didn’t come… I cried and prayed and then resorted to the homologous reproduction. In the first attempt 3 embryos were created and inserted (I didn’t want to freeze anything because I’m ethically contrary to it) but they didn’t take root…before resorting to the ICSI I also sought an opinion from a Catholic bioethicist, asking if I would have been responsible in case the embryos hadn’t implanted and he answered I wouldn’t because even in nature the embryos often don’t take root and anyway my intention is to give life,  I want them to take root and not to get lost. In total I have  attempted twice  but also the second time  the embryos didn’t take root…During  the last attempt the doctors asked me to freeze the only embryo that they didn’t insert and, a month later, I made sure to have it implanted . Finally I got pregnant with my son, who is 4 now.  I believe  nothing was wrong and that  assisted reproduction is just a help for barren couples who suffer a lot . In my personal opinion  if the embryos are produced and inserted into the uterus without being frozen, there’s no harm. As far as it relates to the assisted reproduction there’s no sexual relationship: it’s true that the child is not generated through a natural intercourse but it’s also true that medicine gives the possibility of resorting to other methods (ovarian stimulation in women and and recollection of sperm through masturbation for men) if the spouses, although trying and desiring to procreate,  are unable of it  due to infertility problems . I think that the Church, often asking people to “have children” ,should be more comprehensive towards those couples who  would like to have children but encounter difficulties  and should not raise walls but instead try to understand and get into the problem without always judging those who resort to assisted reproduction… I think so…The Church should revise some points while keeping some prohibitions , namely the ban on freezing embryos. Nonetheless,   it should be more understanding and loving towards these unlucky sons and daughters who suffer so much,due to such difficulties  often forgotten and underestimated.

Thank you

Priest’s answer

Dear Giusi,

1.if the Church’s Teachings says no to artificial insemination it is not because it doesn’t want to reach out to those couples. What interest would it have? Others, instead, have interests, and several as you can see, to say the contrary.

2.In regard to the reason for the illegal use of the insemination or the artificial insemination, I gave plenty of answers that you can read by clicking on the search engine on our website. I limit myself to quote the principle expressed by John XXIII: “The transmission of human life is entrusted by nature to a personal and conscientious act and, as such, subjected to the wise laws of God: immutable and unbreakable laws that are to be recognised and observed. Therefore, it’s not possible to use means and follow methods that can be legal in transmitting life of plants and animals” (Mater et Magistra, 204; edited by the translator). These are unbreakable. It means that by acting differently, one has to pay the price. Here the tragedy is that another one pays for it.

3.Equally, also the following Teachings under John Paul II expressed the same: “The conjugal act, by which the spouses manifest each other their self-giving, expresses simultaneously the opening to the gift of life: it’s an inseparably corporal and spiritual act” (DV II,4,b; edited by the translator). And : “And in their bodies and through their bodies the spouses consume the wedding and can become father and mother” (DV II,4,b; edited by the translator).

4.Of course it’s commendable the attempt of science to take care of sterility and help married women have children. But when it comes to taking over the wise laws of the Creator, as John XXIII called them, being cautious is needed. It’s always true what the Holy Spirit said through the psalmist: “To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.” (Psalm 119,96; thebiblegateaway.com). Even science has its own limits. It’s necessary for everyone to be humble so as not to make the others pay for our own audacity.

5.As far as it concerns the Catholic bioethicist: if he really was Catholic, he wouldn’t engage in such techniques. In any case, it’s true that also in nature there are some spontaneous abortions. But how many were there ? We even need to count them! It’s clear that it’s in the interest of the bioethicist to answer that there’s no responsibility.

6.Furthermore one thing is to bear the spontaneous abortion. Instead another thing is exposing oneself to having abortions voluntarily. When initially three embryos were “produced”, they knew in advance that someone would have been lost. If the first one would have taken root soon, where would the others have ended?

7.Pope John said that these are “unbreakable and immutable laws”. After such a statement the Church won’t say for sure that these laws are breakable and mutable instead.

8.Instead you conclude: “The Church should revise some points while keeping some prohibitions , namely the ban on freezing embryos. Nonetheless,   it should be more understanding and loving towards these unlucky sons and daughters who suffer so much,due to such difficulties  often forgotten and underestimated.” On the contrary, it’s right because it’s comprehensive and loving towards the unlucky sons and daughters who have been produced in the laboratory that the Church, authoritative interpreter of God’s law, says not to resort to such routes, but to follow others. Although in another context, Pope Francis claimed a particularly meaningful assertion: “God always forgives men sometimes, but nature never”.

9.That being said, I extend my warmest wishes to the child who was born. Especially to him, as well as to you , I wish all the best, and assure my prayer and blessings .

Father Angelo