Instruction Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Questions
Overview
For nearly 500 years, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has defended the Catholic Church from internal heresy—whether by false teaching or malpractice of faith. It is the oldest of the Curia’s nine congregations, and is made up of cardinals, bishops, priests, lay theologians, and canon lawyers. According to Pope Paul VI’s 1965 Motu Proprio Integrae Servandae, “All questions which regard the doctrine on faith and morals or which touch upon the faith are within the competence of the Congregation … It examines new teachings and new opinions in whatever way they are spread, it promotes studies in this area, and encourages the Congresses of scholars; it condemns those teachings found to be contrary to the principles of the faith, after, however, having heard the view of the Bishops of those regions, if they are specifically connected with the issues.”
Top Highlights
“The human embryo has, therefore, from the very beginning, the dignity proper to a person.” (source)
“Grave reasons may be morally proportionate to justify the use of such ‘biological material’. Thus, for example, danger to the health of children could permit parents to use a vaccine which was developed using cell lines of illicit origin, while keeping in mind that everyone has the duty to make known their disagreement and to ask that their healthcare system make other types of vaccines available. Moreover, in organizations where cell lines of illicit origin are being utilized, the responsibility of those who make the decision to use them is not the same as that of those who have no voice in such a decision.” (source)
“Procedures used on somatic cells for strictly therapeutic purposes are in principle morally licit.” (source)
“embryo reduction is an intentional selective abortion” (source)
“In fact, it presupposes a truth of an ontological character” (source)
- Title: Instruction Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Questions
- Author: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Publisher: Libreria Editrice Vaticana
- Print Publication Date: 2008
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bioethics › Religious aspects--Catholic Church; Human reproductive technology › Moral and ethical aspects; Dignity › Religious aspects--Catholic Church
- Resource ID: LLS:NSTRCTNDGNTSPRS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:28:20Z