President Andrzej Duda signed the law allowing the financing of the in vitro method from public funds.
He did this despite the appeal of the President of the Polish Episcopal Conference, Archbishop. Stanisław Gądecki not to do this.
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In a letter to the president, the archbishop emphasized that the in vitro method is ethically unacceptable not only for a faithful Catholic, but also for anyone who accepts the sanctity of human life and natural law.
By the way, one of the journalists from the media of the Third Polish Republic described this letter as “disgusting”.
However, the opinion of the above-mentioned journalist is repugnant and claims that the Church and its followers in free Poland have no right to clearly stand on the side they consider good and useful and fight for it.
President Duda ignored – let us repeat – the archbishop’s arguments. Gądecki and signed the bill, which is unacceptable from an ethical point of view.
Political and ethical atmosphere
In a strictly political sense, where only interests and calculations prevail, his decision is not difficult to understand. The left-liberal media has created a powerful narrative about the law, namely that anyone who opposes it is actually opposed to helping infertile couples have children. This is of course not true, but this is the prevailing opinion in society.
Duda believed that he still had some important battles ahead and that there was no point in endangering himself now, especially since a large number of PiS representatives, including former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, were in favor of changing the law.
From a political, purely pragmatic point of view, this decision is understandable.
But in an ethical sense, which is more important for an effective and fruitful policy in the long term, it is, in my opinion, deeply unfair and wrong.
The statements from Duda’s camp, according to which this is a purely technical issue and not a matter of values, are simply not true. Funding in vitro (which, unlike napro technology, does not provide a cure) from public funds will open the door to a method that has been legal so far, but not so widespread.
The news that the President will consider a bill in January that would see other infertility treatment methods publicly funded is also to be commended. However, this news does not neutralize the fact that the method, which some call “selective abortion”, will be financed with my money and yours.
Vatican document
In 2002, the former Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a document entitled “Doctrine Note on Certain Aspects of Catholic Activities and Behavior in Political Life.”
We read there that when it comes to Catholic politicians, they have a specific obligation to oppose any law that threatens human life. They – like every Catholic – are prohibited from participating in propaganda campaigns in favor of such laws, and no one is allowed to support them by voting for them.
It seems that Archbishop Gądecki is right when he says that Catholic President Duda’s decision was motivated by the voice of the crowd, and not by moral principles.
Only time will tell how much good this step will bring for Poland and Duda himself.
Source: wPolityce