IVF after cancer w pre-cancer sperm

maryannefox · #1 Mar 28, '11, 8:25 pm

A friend has gone through extensive chemo and radiation after a cancer diagnosis. After diagnosis but before treatment he froze sperm and he has just announced his wife is pregnant after being inseminated. They are thrilled and I am uncertain on the church's teaching under these circumstances.

Victorious · #2 Mar 28, '11, 9:24 pm

The Church teaches that in vitro fertilization is morally unacceptable. See the Catechism of the Catholic Church at paragraphs 2373-2379.

KCT · #3 Mar 29, '11, 4:39 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victorious

The Church teaches that in vitro fertilization is morally unacceptable. See the Catechism of the Catholic Church at paragraphs 2373-2379.

And yet there now exists a child who deserves to be loved.

ClamDigger · #4 Mar 29, '11, 4:47 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCT

And yet there now exists a child who deserves to be loved.

Yes, the child still deserves to be loved. That does not mean that his conception is morally acceptable. Children are also born from pre-marital sex and one-night-stands. That doesn't make them undeserving of love. However, the way in which they were conceived is still sinful in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

Serap · #5 Mar 29, '11, 5:21 am

don't focus on Church teachings. Accept this child as the will of God. This child is a joyful creation worthy of happiness and joy.

ClamDigger · #6 Mar 29, '11, 5:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serap

don't focus on Church teachings. Accept this child as the will of God. This child is a joyful creation worthy of happiness and joy.

I don't understand why everyone keeps focusing on loving the child in regards to this question. The question isn't, "Should I still love my friend's child even though he was conceived via IVF?" Of course the answer to that question would be an emphatic yes.

However, that is not the question we have been asked. The question she asked is, "In the instance of a cancer patient who's sperm may not be as potent after treatment, is IVF an acceptable means of conceiving a child within the Catholic Church?" The answer is no. IVF is never an acceptable means of conceiving children within the Catholic Church.

Serap · #7 Mar 29, '11, 5:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClamDigger

I don't understand why everyone keeps focusing on loving the child in regards to this question. The question isn't, "Should I still love my friend's child even though he was conceived via IVF?" Of course the answer to that question would be an emphatic yes.

However, that is not the question we have been asked. The question she asked is, "In the instance of a cancer patient who's sperm may not be as potent after treatment, is IVF an acceptable means of conceiving a child within the Catholic Church?" The answer is no. IVF is never an acceptable means of conceiving children within the Catholic Church.

The child is here to stay!

That's why!

SamH · #8 Mar 29, '11, 5:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCT

And yet there now exists a child who deserves to be loved.

Who said there wasn't?

**1ke** · #9 Mar 29, '11, 5:56 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by maryannefox

A friend has gone through extensive chemo and radiation after a cancer diagnosis. After diagnosis but before treatment he froze sperm and he has just announced his wife is pregnant after being inseminated. They are thrilled and I am uncertain on the church's teaching under these circumstances.

IVF is a gravely wrong act in all circumstances.

For a full explanation, see the Vatican document Donum Vitae and its companion Dignitas Personae.

**1ke** · #10 Mar 29, '11, 5:58 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serap

don't focus on Church teachings.

It is always important to know and follow Church teaching.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serap

Accept this child as the will of God. This child is a joyful creation worthy of happiness and joy.

However, the OP did not ask about the child. The OP asked about the morality of IVF.

TheRealJuliane · #11 Mar 29, '11, 5:59 am

Assuming the parents were Catholic, could their sin be forgiven if they repented and confessed?

If they created another child after that repentance and absolution, would that be considered unrepentance and invalidate their previous confession?

I can understand why people do this, but it's still from a selfish motive "I have to have my own child."

ClamDigger · #12 Mar 29, '11, 6:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serap

The child is here to stay!

That's why!

I understand that, but part of this forum is for providing guidance for others who have similar questions in the future. No one will know the position of the Church on IVF in this instance if all the answers they read say, "Just ignore what the Church says and love the child!" Such an answer is unfair to other Catholics in similar situations who are considering IVF but don't know the Church's position.

ClamDigger · #13 Mar 29, '11, 6:05 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

I can understand why people do this, but it's still from a selfish motive "I have to have my own child."

Exactly. This is my main problem with IVF. It's not so much the aspect of "playing God", or what-have-you. It's that it discourages adoption of children who are so in need of love. So, while this couple has had a child artificially conceived for them that they can love, another child is sitting in a foster home with no parents and no one to love him. Seems like the negatives outweigh the positives...

**1ke** · #14 Mar 29, '11, 6:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

Assuming the parents were Catholic, could their sin be forgiven if they repented and confessed?

Yes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

If they created another child after that repentance and absolution, would that be considered unrepentance and invalidate their previous confession?

It would not "invalidate" their prior confession if at the time they made the confession they were truly contrite.

So, if it were a false confession it would not be a good confession and therefore no confession after that one would be valid. They would need to reconfess.

If they had a good confession but then later fell back into their decision to do it again, then they would have a new mortal sin to confess.

**puzzleannie** · #15 Mar 29, '11, 6:45 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by maryannefox

A friend has gone through extensive chemo and radiation after a cancer diagnosis. After diagnosis but before treatment he froze sperm and he has just announced his wife is pregnant after being inseminated. They are thrilled and I am uncertain on the church's teaching under these circumstances.

the objective teaching is of course that IVF is wrong because it destroys the unitive nature of marriage. But whenever one of our friends announces a pregnancy it is a cause for rejoicing and we simply do not speculate or comment on how it occurred. Of course any sin can be forgiven and absolved, but OP also did not ask that. Question has been answered, with cites. case closed.