- In a new statement of principles, Pope Francis has denounced abortions and the carrying of children by surrogate mothers as serious violations of human dignity.
- In the letter published by the Vatican, the head of the Catholic Church also castigated gender adjustments and “gender theory” as “violations of the God-given human dignity.”
“Wanting to control oneself (…) means nothing other than giving in to man’s age-old temptation to make oneself into God,” it says there. A human being – whether unborn or not – is always something sacred and inviolable, according to the letter.
Aborting a pregnancy means nothing other than denying human dignity to the “most defenseless and innocent of all”.
Strictly against abortion and gender reassignment
The 87-year-old pope has long been known as a strict opponent of abortion. According to the statement, the situation is similar with surrogacy – when a woman carries a child to order and then leaves it to others. In this way, a child becomes a “mere object,” and a woman’s dignity is violated for profit reasons.
Legend:
The Pope during the Angelus prayer in the Vatican on Sunday, April 7, 2024.
KEYSTONE/EPA VATICAN MEDIA/VATICAN MEDIA HANDOUT
The Vatican also took a clear position on the issue of gender reassignment: a body must be accepted and respected as created.
Years of preparation for the declaration
The approximately 20-page declaration called “Dignitas infinita” (in German: “Infinite Dignity”) was published after years of preparation by the Vatican Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith under the leadership of Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, who, like the Pope, comes from Argentina. Francis had previously approved it.
The issues it addresses also include war, poverty, migration, human trafficking and violence against women.