Pope Francis Calls For Ban On Surrogacy – “I Deem Deplorable The Practice”

Pope Francis has made a controversial move by asking for a worldwide ban on surrogacy.

The Pope believes that the practice is “deplorable” and a “violation of the dignity of the woman and the child.”

Watch the video here:

🎥VIDEO | Pope Francis called surrogacy “deplorable” and called for a global ban on the exploitative practice of “so-called surrogate motherhood” in a speech to all of the world’s ambassadors to the Vatican. pic.twitter.com/42hbwZCPaT

— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) January 8, 2024

USA Today shares more on the announcement:

Surrogacy advocates reacted with anger and disappointment after Pope Francis called for a global ban on the practice, saying it violates the dignity of the woman and child.

“I feel a huge sense of sadness, because there are people all over the world who have lovingly built families through surrogacy and may feel the pope has discounted their family and the way they’ve chosen to build it,” said Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

During his “state of the world” address Monday, the 87-year-old Catholic Church leader described surrogate motherhood as “deplorable” and “based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.”

“A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,” the pope said. “Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally.”

Pope Francis called for surrogate motherhood to be banned worldwide, calling the practice of surrogacy "despicable" and taking issue with contracts where women are paid by individuals or couples to carry their embryos. pic.twitter.com/K27LvZOTTn

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) January 9, 2024

The Pope has taken a lot of flak recently for a number of statements made.

Back in December, the Pope declared that priests were now allowed to bless gay marriages.

African Catholics have decided to rebel against the Papacy regarding gay marriage.

Deciding they would refuse to bless gay marriages.

The folks at Fox News share more on that story:

African Catholic priests, and those from Madagascar, rebuked Pope Francis’ approval of same-sex couples being blessed by the Catholic Church on Thursday, saying they refuse to follow the pontiff’s declaration because such unions are “contrary to the will of God.”

Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo signed the statement on behalf of the symposium of African national bishops conferences, taking a nearly continental-sized stance against Francis’ declaration made on Dec. 18, which allowed priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples.

The change in the Vatican policy was released in mid-December and said, “people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to ‘an exhaustive moral analysis’ to receive it.”

Francis sent the letter to two conservative cardinals in October, suggesting such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if those receiving the blessing did not confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.

The declarations sent shockwaves through the Catholic Church, expanding a gap between Francis’ progressive leadership and the conservative church in much of the world, including Africa, where the number of Catholic Church members is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, the Associated Press reported.

There appears to be a more significant rift in the Catholic church.

Many conservative Catholics began to speak up against the historically progressive Pope.

What do you guys think?