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BACKGROUND
Surrogate Parenting is an arrangement where a surrogate mother carries a child on behalf of a commissioning parent or parents. After giving birth to the child, the surrogate mother gives the child to the commissioning parents, forgoing any right or responsibility to the child. Full surrogacy occurs when the surrogate mother and the child share no genetic material. The child is conceived through in-vitro fertilization, using the sperm and egg of the commissioning parents or donors. In contrast, partial surrogacy occurs when the surrogate mother and the child share some genetic material. Regardless of whether the surrogacy is full or partial, it will be classified as either commercial or altruistic. Commercial surrogacy is where the surrogate mother is paid for her services, while altruistic surrogacy is where the surrogate mother volunteers to carry the child.
In all of its forms, surrogacy is fraught with serious ethical issues. Children are human beings with inherent rights and dignity, not products to be commissioned. Likewise, pregnancy is more than a mere commercial service and women deserve to be viewed as more than incubators.
THE CATHOLIC PERSPECTIVE
The Church teaches that although individuals involved in surrogacy arrangements may have good intentions, surrogate parenting is still inherently flawed and must always be opposed. No type of regulation can remedy its dangers. Namely, surrogacy treats children as commodities, intentionally fractures families, and exploits women, particularly poor women.
The Church explains that not only is human life sacred, but also the means by which human life comes into existence. Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple, are gravely immoral. Likewise, in Section 2378 of the Catechism, the Church makes clear that a child is not something owed, but a gift. A child possesses genuine rights, such as the right “to be the fruit of the specific act of the conjugal love of his parents,” and “the right to be respected as a person from the moment of his conception.”
In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis expresses the perspective that surrogacy in not empowering towards women, but is oppressive. He explains:
History is burdened by the excesses of patriarchal cultures that considered women inferior, yet in our own day, we cannot overlook the use of surrogate mothers and the exploitation and commercialization of the female body in the current media culture.
Surrogacy subjects women to various physical and psychological harms. Women need protection from exploitation, not additional opportunities to be exploited.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Learn more about surrogacy
+New York State Catholic Conference Testimony Regarding Gestational Surrogacy
+USCCB archives: Reproductive Technology
+Pontifical Council for the Laity: Commercialisation of motherhood
Contact local officials
+Urge NYS legislators to maintain the ban on surrogacy
+Write to officials, meet with them, and attend any surrogacy events
+Sign the petition to Stop Surrogacy Now
Raise awareness that surrogacy harms women
+Host an informational session at your parish or community center
+Watch the #BigFertility documentary
+Europe's Feminists and Catholics Unite Against Surrogacy
Encourage adoption as an alternative to surrogacy
+Catholic adoptions
Surrogacy is an offense against human dignity. We must pray for a greater respect of life.
Heavenly Father, the beauty and dignity of
human life was the crowning of your creation.
You further ennobled that life when your
Son became one with us in his incarnation.
Help us to realize the sacredness of human
life and to respect it from the moment of
conception until the last moment at death.
Give us courage to speak with truth and
love and with conviction in defence of life.
Help us to extend the gentle hand of mercy
and forgiveness to those who do not
reverence your gift of life.
To all, grant pardon for the times we have
failed to begrateful for your precious gift
of life or to respect it in others.
We ask this in Jesus' Name.
Amen.
