Catholics and IVF....

I have been thinking about this SO much lately.

I really don't know what we are going to do when it comes baptizing our
child(ren) when the time comes. I feel like there is no way I could lie.. cause I'd know that it wasn't right...

What are your opinions?

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Our Church ( RC) had no issues with us doing IVF....They happened to know about it b/c we are active in certain areas , but They dont ask you , so you dont have to lie, not something that would come up I dont think?

But, if I thought they did have an issue with it, I wouldnt be going there anyway ...

eta- Im aware of the churchs stance on IVF, but it does seem individual parish leaders realize that this is life and that we all dont live in rome and follow the bible and the churchs rules to the letter.

Message edited 2/22/2008 12:08:06 AM.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

I had this converstaion with a very good friend of mine who is a RC Priest (he also baptized my children) He said "Just think, these babies were so wanted and that is what God wants, children who are wanted and will be loved"

It doesn't matter how they get to us, what matters is that they get to us!

BTW: I used to teach in a Catholic High School and left because of insurance issues. I was very open with the principal (who was a nun) and she was sad, but very supportive. The church will not ask how you had the babies btw.

Let this be the least of your worries!

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Re: Catholics and IVF....

our church had no issues, because they never evn asked, and i dint even provide them with that info.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

I don't get WHY the church would have a problem....Is it because it's not "natural"? What do they think about a cancer patient receiving chemo? Chemo wasn't invented by God, so is it "wrong" to try to save a cancer patient's life? I'm not understanding it.....Can someone explain it to me?

I think my pastor is against IVF also. I don't plan on telling him about it.....if he said anything negative, I'd blow up...

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Re: Catholics and IVF....

See I know they wouldn't ask... but to me, I don't know if I'd want to baptize my kids in a church that wouldn't accept the truth, ya know?

I don't know I have a long time before I need to really decide but I just wanted to see what you all thought.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Message edited 2/22/2008 11:30:07 AM.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Why would your church even ask/care how your child was conceived???? that to me is silly....I am sorry, but it is none of their business to know....

I am a Catholic (who attends church almost every Sunday) who is planning on baptizing my children in a Catholic church and someone who will not allow the church from stopping me from doing it so just becasue my chilldren were conceived differently.....

You shouldn't feel guilty about not telling the truth.....it is not like you chose this path on becoming a parent and wanted it this way....it was chosen for you....

Good luck to you

Message edited 2/22/2008 11:37:13 AM.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

I believe the Church has 2 issues. First, they don't believe that there should be any "manipulation" of the process...basically it's God's will whether or not you are able to have children. I believe they say that having children is not a "right" and therefore you shouldn't try to change God's plan for you.

Second, I think the larger issue the Church has is what is done with the frozen embryos that are left over when you are finished with your IVF cycle. Since the church believes that life begins at conception, if you donate or destroy your embryos, the church considers it a form of abortion.

Personally, I think that if God was good enough to create doctors and scientists who can help us create babies we so desperately want, then it can't be "wrong". There are definitely moral issues, but I think it is worth it, and frankly, none of the church's business. I can't imagine that anyone would ask you how your babies got here, nor would I imagine that they would ever deny your baby a Christening because they weren't naturally conceived...to me, that would be a very un-Christian thing to do.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Well, for me and Catholocism....we don't always see eye to eye. I have been thinking for a LONG time of joining another church. When my time comes if my church has a problem with it I will go somewhere else. My belief is that God wants me to be a loving parent no matter how the child came into my life.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

The catholic Church will welcome ANY baby into the Church and will baptize any baby regardless of how they were conceived.

The Catholic Church disagrees with IVF because the Church believes life begins at the EXACT moment of conception. Because many embryos are killed or die, they disagree with the process.

The Church may morally disagree with how your children were conceived, but they do not, and would not, turn them away.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Baptism is basically saying that you want your baby to grow up Catholic. (Yes, I'm not getting technical with terms, but that's basically what it is.) They embrace any child, no matter what. Think of it this way: Say you adopted a child from an unwed teenage mother. That child was not brought into the world in a manner associated with being holy. But would they disagree with you adopting the child and wanting to raise the baby Catholic?

Re: Catholics and IVF....

This has always bothered me about the Catholic Church. Well this and a bunch of other things... but when we were getting married the #1 thing they were concerned about was us procreating. Unfortunately, we can't procreate in the normal way, but it is possible with assistance. I doubt anyone will ask how you concieved your child but I understand "living the lie" so to speak. I don't have any issues with a lot of the things the Catholic Church is against and this is just one more. I've always thought about finding another religion, but it is hard once you have been raised a certain way to change.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

The fact that the church is against it may be true but I'd definitely still say a child should be baptized regardless. The church would still want the baby to be baptized. I'm not TTC right now, but in the future if I did conceive through IVF, I wouldn't hide it from them (not even from my brother, who is a priest!), and if they have a problem with it too bad. Every child is a gift from God regardless of how they are conceived. So don't worry about it.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

Message edited 2/24/2008 5:07:57 PM.

Re: Catholics and IVF....

The Catholic Church has nothing against ANY babies - be they from IVF, unwed mothers, rape victims....children are INNOCENT and accepted unconditionally. Any priest who tells you otherwise is NOT reflecting the Catholic Church's policy.

I was proud to Baptize my DD. Nobody asked "how" she was made. It is totally irrelevant.

So do IVF, have a baby, get it Baptized. No reason not to. Life is a miracle, no matter how it is jump started!

Re: Catholics and IVF....

I have been upfront with one of the priests at my parish, he married us last summer (renewed vows) and during the "pre" interview we discussed my previous losses and we've talked honestly since. I told him there was no way I would get pregnant without IUI or IVF, he said he had not problem with a child that was wanted so desperately.