Pope Benedict XVI Condemns Genetic Engineering,
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February 23, 2007


Rome, Italy  -- In a speech to a group of experts on pro-life issues within the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI spoke out against genetic engineering and designer babies. He used the speech to the Pontifical Academy for Life to condemn in vitro fertilization and the use of diagnostic tests to have abortions of babies with disabilities.

"In developed countries, there is a growing interest for the most sophisticated biotechnological research to introduce subtle and extensive eugenics methods in the obsessive search for the 'perfect child'," the Pope said.
He opposed "the spread of artificial insemination and of various forms of diagnosis that tend to ensure its selection."

The pontiff also said the right to life was under attack in countries around the world and pointed to the weakening of pro-life laws in South American countries and promoting euthanasia in Europe and other industrialized nations.

Pope Benedict said people are promoting euthanasia and assisted suicide claiming to favor the "presumed well-being of people."

He complained about how outside forces want the pro-life nations to "liberalize new forms of chemical abortion using the pretext of reproductive health."

The Catholic leader said that pro-life people should do more to organize against these threats.

"Christians are constantly called to mobilize to resist the many attacks against the right to life," he told the conference participants.

He called on pro-life advocates to do more to talk about pro-life issues with doctors in order to raise their conscience against abortion and to object to being involved in immoral practices such as ending the lives of the elderly or disabled.

He called on governments to "guarantee the right to the life to all and in equal way for all"

Related web sites:
Pontifical Academy for Life - http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/index.htm

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/documents/rc_pa_acdlife_pro_20051996_en.html