(NewsSpace.com) – Pope Francis has undoubtedly brought a new light to the Catholic Church. He’s been unusually accepting of activities the Church typically frowns upon, drawing a lot of criticism and praise alike. However, when the Vatican issued its Declaration Infinite Dignity on Human Dignity on April 8, signed by Pope Francis, it stood behind the hot-button issues.
The Holy See Press Office revealed that the missive, which was more than five years in the making, was finally approved and signed on March 25. It addresses several issues, including abortion and surrogacy.
On the matter of abortion, the Church said it stands behind the belief that “the dignity of every human being has an intrinsic character and is valid from the moment of conception until natural death.”
The declaration goes on to say that those who accept abortion have “an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense” and that the procedure is the “deliberate and direct killing” of a human being. Changing its stance on the matter would be abandoning human rights.
The missive also addresses surrogacy and its stance, which is to say it is not supportive of such behavior. The practice, according to the Church, “violates the dignity of the child,” which is present at the moment of conception.
The Vatican says surrogacy violates a woman’s dignity as well, because she does not form an attachment to the child, and in volunteering to carry another’s child, she becomes a “mere means subservient” to others’ desires or gain. Pope Francis is also critical of the practice and has even called for it to be banned. It has been likened to human trafficking.
The declaration touches on other hot-button issues as well, such as gender-affirming care, which it says “risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received.” Pope Francis spoke out about the treatment and criticized Western governments for supporting it.
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