Thousands of Catholics from around the world gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to protest against artificial insemination, a fertility treatment that they consider to be immoral and unnatural. The protesters held signs and banners that read “God’s will, not man’s skill”, “Life begins at conception, not injection”, and “No to test-tube babies, yes to natural families”.
The protest was organized by a group called Catholics for Life, which claims to represent the official teaching of the Catholic Church on artificial insemination. According to the group, artificial insemination violates the dignity of human life, the sanctity of marriage, and the rights of children. The group also accuses artificial insemination of being a form of eugenics, as it allows parents to select the traits and characteristics of their offspring.
The group’s spokesperson, Father Giuseppe Rossi, said that artificial insemination is a grave sin that threatens the future of humanity. “Artificial insemination is an affront to God, who is the sole author of life and the only one who can create a new human being. It is also an insult to the natural order, which God established for the procreation and education of children. It is also a danger to the society, which will be corrupted by a generation of unnatural and artificial children, who will lack the love and the identity of their biological parents.”
The protesters were met with counter-protesters, who supported artificial insemination as a legitimate and beneficial option for couples who struggle with infertility or have other reasons to use it. The counter-protesters held signs and banners that read “My body, my choice”, “Science is a gift from God, not a curse”, and “Love makes a family, not genes”.
The counter-protesters’ spokesperson, Dr. Maria Bianchi, said that artificial insemination is a safe and effective way to help people achieve their dream of parenthood. “Artificial insemination is not a sin, but a blessing. It is not a violation of life, but a celebration of it. It is not a threat to society, but a contribution to it. It is not a form of eugenics, but a form of diversity. It is not an insult to God, but a praise to Him, who gave us the intelligence and the technology to overcome our limitations and to cooperate with His creative plan.”
The protest and the counter-protest ended peacefully, but the debate on artificial insemination remains unresolved. The Vatican has not issued any official statement on the matter, but sources say that Pope Francis is aware of the situation and is praying for a dialogue and a reconciliation between the two sides.