Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
POPE FRANCIS has called for a global ban on parenting via surrogacy, calling the practice deplorable and a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child.
“I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.
“Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally,” he said.
Pope Francis, 87, who leads the world’s more than 1.35 billion Catholics, made this comments on Monday Jan. 8, 2024, in a 45-minute address to Vatican-accredited diplomats.
The practice is illegal in many countries around the world, as well as Italy, the country that surrounds the Vatican.
This remarks may likely antagonize pro-LGBTG groups, since surrogacy is often used by gay or lesbian partners who want to have children, and follow his landmark decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples.
