Pope enters fray on Italian fertility debate

[emad]

30 May 2005 12:20:06 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY, May 30 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, taking his first plunge into Italian politics, on Monday backed a controversial campaign by bishops who have urged voters to boycott an emotionally charged referendum on assisted fertility.

The German Pope, addressing Italian bishops at the Vatican, praised them for trying to "enlighten the choices of Catholics".

Some promoters of the referendum, which aims to repeal a highly restrictive assisted fertility law, accused the Pope of meddling in politics and urged Italy's president to intervene.

The referendum has raised the political temperature in Italy for the past few months, pushing the country into the most tense debate over a moral issue since divorce and abortion were legalised the 1970s.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L30178898.htm

[ananda]

1. Maledict interferes..

.. once again.

Sue

[Warpy]

2. Yeah, a celibate old fart has SO much to say about

reproduction, assisted or not.

[napi21]

3. Isn't Italy mostly Catholic? Is it even possible to get anything passed

without their votes?

I am honestly torn on this subject. If they lift the restrictions on fertility, they'll have the same problem we have in the US...thousands of frozen embryos that noone wants and a decision to either throw them away, or maybe use them in research. I hears someone on cspan the other day propose that the US adopt the European rules that limit the # of eggs a woman can donate for fertilization in a lab, as a solution to the fight we're now having over unused embryos.

I don't know why we do so many here in the US. I had a woman who worked for me have invitro, 3 times, any they now have 2 sets of twin girls and one little boy, but I never heard from her why they do so many at one time and then save them.

[rodeodance]

4. assisted fertility has been around a long time--time he

"upgrades" his thinking (which is the Churches thinking)---but will not happen with this Pope.

[leesa]

5. Yes, a lifelong celibate weighs in. Sheesh!

[autorank]

6. It's all about the SHAME...

The Pope wins either way: stops reproductive rights or fails but shames people who use these rights. Very clever.

[sallyseven]

7. If they can vote secretly

they will have stem cell research. All Catholics are not lock step. they have minds and will do as they please. Someone should tell the pope that he is irrelevant when it comes to life outside the church. A priest or pope is just a man when he is off the alter.

[autorank]

8. I agree with you. Catholics are more progressive on this issue than

the remainder of the population, just like they are on reproductive health. I talk to many Catholics who are sick and tired of being told how to vote.