Reflections of a First Year Deacon's Wife
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If you already have your mind made up about stem cell research and its repercussions to the global community please stop reading and go to another article. This article is specifically for those who have heard the term "stem cell research" but have never been exactly sure what that meant and whether they should support it or not. I am not an expert on this topic but I learned a bit about it from a talk by Rebecca Taylor who is an expert. However, I will try to make this as clear as I can.
The actual debate regarding abortion, the death penalty, stem cell research, and assisted suicide lies in the question when does life begin and/or have value? Science is quite clear on this point - human life begins at the time of conception, period. At the time of conception, the embryo becomes a unique, one-of-a-kind organism; a being with DNA different from any other; and at the very beginning of its developmental journey. This is not Catholic teaching but scientific fact.
Science says life begins at conception and Catholic doctrine tells us that life has value at the moment of conception until its natural end. Obviously, some do not believe that life has value at any stage of development (embryo, birth, adolescence, middle age, or maturity). This is evident by the number of abortions that are "legally" performed in this country every year as well as the acceptance of "assisted suicide", the continued practice of the death penalty in many of our state,s and of embryonic stem cell research.
As a Catholic, I believe that all human life is precious and should be respected in every stage of life. I have not always been Catholic but I have always believed this. I also believe that all embryos (fertilized human eggs) have the RIGHT to be protected, are a GIFT, and should never be a man-made product. The most loving, safe place that an embryo can have is in its mother's womb. Every human being deserves the best - in every stage of life including at the moment of conception.
The legalization of abortion in 1973 paved the road to "reproductive rights" for mother, however, the right to life of the embryo was, and continues to be, completely ignored. This leads to the absence of rights for the embryos in the lab and for those left frozen, forgotten, and abandoned.
In Vitro Fertilization(IVF) means that an embryo is created - fertilized - in a petri dish. Embryos that are viable and implanted into a mother's womb are gifts from God – no mistake about it. The babies created in this procedure are not the issue, but the embryos that are not implanted are. These embryos (remember, these are unique human organisms at their first stage of development, not just a bunch of cells) are frozen in antifreeze. IF they survive the freezing process (75% of those frozen are damaged by the freezing), they are often abandoned or simply forgotten by their biological parents, their “legal owners”. It is estimated that there are about a half a million leftover embryos in this country.
What to do with the leftover embryos? The scientific community’s solution is to use them in embryonic stem cell research. Sounds like a logical decision. But is it ethical or right? No!
In order for the scientific community to harvest the stem cells from these embryos, they must completely destroy the organism (note: some scientist claim they can extract stem cells without destroying the entire embryo but it is not a 100% deal - it might or might not damage the entire embryo). This means the human life that is contained in this embryo - frozen or not - is totally destroyed. They are killed in the name of science.
There are two types of stem cells - embryonic stem cells (ESC) and adult stem cells (ASC). It is true that any cell can be grown from an embryonic stem cell, but there are other problems with using these cells in the bodies of other human beings. Problems that arise can include rejection and tumors - not just normal tumors but ones filled with teeth, bones, and hair.
On the other hand, our own adult stem cells (taken from our skin, fat, and bone marrow) can be used without fear of rejection (since it is from our own bodies) and the tumor phenomenon is not seen. Other ASC's can be harvested from placenta and can be useable in various ways. The most advantageous stem cells are the ASC's that are taken from our very own body.
There is no need to use ESC’s for research – ASC’s are a much better choice with less risk and no one is killed.
Science and Catholicism agree on this “controversial” topic but the majority of the population continues to support it. That certainly does not make it right.
For more in-depth, scientific information, go to Rebecca Taylor's website at http://marymeetsdolly.com.
Cindy Ellis is active in her parish, Parish of the Holy Spirit, Kennewick, WA. She is married with 5 adult children (and their spouses) as well as 18 grandchildren. Her husband, Ken, was ordained as a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Boise in 2016 and is currently serving in the Diocese of Yakima. Avid motorcyclists, they plan vacations around children/grandchildren special events and ride their Victory Vision touring bike to the location (200 – 2,000 miles one way). Cindy often rides her own Can-Am Spyder (3-wheeler) - which she loves.
Cindy and her husband converted to Catholicism at Easter Vigil 2009 and strives to learn all they can about their chosen faith. Cindy recently finished her B.S. in Health Informatics and is looking forward to having time for more faith filled writing and reading now that it is completed. She is employed at a hospital IT Department and thoroughly is enjoying this new career path. IT has been her career field for more than 30 years.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/GatorShine
