INTRODUCTION
1.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND THE TEACHING
OF THE CHURCH
The gift of life which God the Creator and
Father has entrusted to man calls him to appreciate the inestimable value of what
he has been given and to take responsibility for it: this fundamental principle
must be placed at the centre of one's reflection in order to clarify and solve
the moral problems raised by artificial interventions on life as it originates
and on the processes of procreation. Thanks to the progress of the biological
and medical sciences, man has at his disposal ever more effective therapeutic
resources; but he can also acquire new powers, with unforeseeable consequences,
over human life at its very beginning and in its first stages. Various
procedures now make it possible to intervene not only in order to assist but
also to dominate the processes of procreation. These techniques can enable man
to "take in hand his own destiny", but they also expose him "to
the temptation to go beyond the limits of a reasonable dominion over
nature".(1) They might constitute progress in the service of
man, but they also involve serious risks. Many people are therefore expressing
an urgent appeal that in interventions on procreation the values and rights of
the human person be safeguarded. Requests for clarification and guidance are
coming not only from the faithful but also from those who recognize the Church
as "an expert in humanity " (2) with a mission to serve the "civilization of
love" (3) and of life.
The Church's Magisterium does not intervene
on the basis of a particular competence in the area of the experimental
sciences; but having taken account of the data of research and technology, it
intends to put forward, by virtue of its evangelical mission and apostolic
duty, the moral teaching corresponding to the dignity of the person and to his
or her integral vocation. It intends to do so by expounding the criteria of
moral judgment as regards the applications of scientific research and
technology, especially in relation to human life and its beginnings. These
criteria are the respect, defence and promotion of man, his "primary and
fundamental right" to life,(4) his dignity as a person who is endowed with a
spiritual soul and with moral responsibility (5) and who is
called to beatific communion with God. The Church's intervention in this field
is inspired also by the Love which she owes to man, helping him to recognize
and respect his rights and duties. This love draws from the fount of Christ's
love: as she contemplates the mystery of the Incarnate Word, the Church also
comes to understand the "mystery of man"; (6) by proclaiming the Gospel of salvation, she reveals to man his
dignity and invites him to discover fully the truth of his own being. Thus the
Church once more puts forward the divine law in order to accomplish the work of
truth and liberation. For it is out of goodness - in order to indicate the path
of life - that God gives human beings his commandments and the grace to observe
them: and it is likewise out of goodness - in order to help them persevere
along the same path - that God always offers to everyone his forgiveness.
Christ has compassion on our weaknesses: he is our Creator and Redeemer. May
his spirit open men's hearts to the gift of God's peace and to an understanding
of his precepts.
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