Embryonic Stem-Cell Research Part Two How Catholic Ethics Guide Us Adapted from: Catholic Update “Stem-Cell Research” by Thomas A. Shannon Copyrighted material that appears in this article is included under the provisions of the Fair Use Clause of the National Copyright Act, which allows limited reproduction of copyrighted materials for educational and religious use when no financial charge is made for viewing.

Adult Stem Cells Many argue that adult stem cells are where the resources for stem-cell research should be directed. Continued success in adult stem cell research would essentially eliminate the need for embryonic stem cells—and put an end to a major ethical problem.

The Position of the Popes and Bishops Over the last few decades there have been strong statements by both popes and bishops that the human embryo is to be valued and treated as a person from the time of fertilization forward. It is not to be destroyed or seen as disposable tissue that can be used in research as any other tissue might be.

Pope John Paul II Told Us "Experience is already showing how a tragic coarsening of consciences accompanies the assault on human life in the womb, leading to accommodation and acquiescence in the face of other related evils such as euthanasia, infanticide and, most recently, proposals for the creation for research purposes of human embryos, destined to be destroyed in the process."

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith The congregation, located in Rome, was, until recently, headed by Pope Benedict. “The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized"

Ensoulment When does the soul come into being? While the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has left open the resolution of the actual time of ensoulment, it has in fact insisted that the prudent response would be to recognize that as a practical matter ensoulment is coincident with fertilization. I would argue that Jeremiah 1:5 answers this question when it says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I consecrated you.

Clone? As a side note, should a human be cloned, there would be no fertilization at all because the nucleus of one cell is placed into another cell that has its nucleus removed and is stimulated to begin cell division. The life of that individual would not begin at fertilization.

Returning To The Two Ethical Issues First, is the destruction of the very early embryo immoral? Life begins at the moment of conception. Harvesting the embryo terminates the life. Again the Bible says in Jeremiah 1: 5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

Can You Use The Results of the Research? Second, if a vaccine or tissue is generated from these human embryonic stem cells, would someone act unethically in using it? The term for this problem in moral theology is called cooperation. It can be either formal or material.

Formal vs. Material Cooperation Formal cooperation involves a person directly intending to participate in the evil act of another. For example, a person would be formally cooperative with a moral wrong if he or she obtained drugs and helped prepare them so they can be used for euthanasia. Cooperation may be material, not formal, if a person does not intend the evil act but may be involved in some of its consequences. For example, a nurse who is opposed to abortion but works in a hospital where abortions are occasionally performed may still provide nursing care for the woman who came for abortion.

Summing Up Is all stem cell research wrong? NO! Is human embryonic research wrong? YES! Embryonic stem cell research ends the life that has begun. Is Adult Stem Cell research wrong? No! It does NOT take a life.

Our Goal The goal of presenting this program is to provide information on a very serious moral problem that now faces our nation. There is a good deal more information available at these websites. Thank you,