Pope Francis has called for a universal ban on what he called the "despicable" practice of surrogacy, as well as the "commercialization" of pregnancy.
The pontiff said that surrogate motherhood - the practice of allowing a woman to carry a child for a couple who were unable to conceive or carry a child themselves - represented a grave violation of the mother and child and urged the international community to prohibit the practice, The Independent reported.
"I consider despicable 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," he said. "A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract."
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Walking A Thin Line
Francis previously voiced the Catholic Church's opposition to what he called "uterus for rent." So far, some European countries have prohibited surrogacy, such as Spain and Italy.
However, at the same time, the Vatican's doctrine office made it clear that homosexual parents who resorted to surrogacy could have their children baptized.
Before the end of 2023, the Vatican released a document allegedly approving the blessing of same-sex couples, which received a mixed reception. However, Vatican doctrine chief Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernandez has since clarified that blessing same-sex couples "does not validate or justify" their relationships.
Related Article: Pope Francis' Decision To Approve Blessings for Same-Sex Couples Receives, Praise, Criticism
