The press review index from 30 May to 03 June 2005

Bioethics: Lexicon for ambiguous terms

Italian Referendum: Pope calls for abstention

New method for freezing eggs

Netherlands: debate on Darwinism

On 1 June, the Pontifical Council for the Family presented the French version of the "Lexicon for Ambiguous and Controversial Terms on the Family, Life and Ethical Questions"* to the press. The lexicon aims to clarify the use of "manipulative language" in discussions over major issues affecting society. It is prefaced by Cardinal A. Lopez Trujillo and contains contributions from 72 experts of different nationalities, including Bishop André Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, Bishop Jean-Pierre Ricard, president of the French Bishops' Conference, Bishop Tony Anatrella, a psychoanalyst, Bishop Schooyans, Xavier Lacroix, Jean-Marie Le Méné, G.F. Dumont, J.-M. Meyer, etc.

Bishop Vingt-Trois presents the lexicon as a bridge between the Catholic Church and society. For the Church, this is not about defending particular religious morals but enlightening intelligence and reason to encourage dialogue based on the truth.

In debates on society, "words are disguised" to misrepresent the truth. Is it not easier to carry out an "embryonic reduction" rather than an abortion, to have an "extra-marital affair" rather than commit adultery, to eliminate a "zygote" or a "group of cells" rather than an embryo, etc? People's minds are manipulated without their realising it… Unmasking words encourages fair and objective thinking.

The decision to create the Lexicon goes back to the 1984 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. Bishop Jean-Pierre Ricard explained, "Certain participants at this Conference noticed (…) that a strange, almost coded language was being used in which certain apparently inoffensive expressions, that were in fact ambiguous or had a double meaning, kept reappearing, revealing the true intentions of the Conference organisers. They realised that this manipulation of language was not specific to the Cairo Conference but seemed to have become the norm in this particular sector of the UN. Aware that uninformed people could get trapped in this semantic game at other international meetings, and without realising it, vote in favour of motions against their convictions, these delegates requested the Pontifical Council for the Family to publish a lexicon of the ambiguous terms used or those with double meanings." This Lexicon is therefore intended particularly for business people, MP's, movements, educators, NGO's and training centres.

Given the profusion of bioethics trends and the utilitarian and non-prescriptive leaning of Anglo-American bioethics, the Catholic Church has stressed the necessity for a serious philosophical and anthropological basis for such debates. Part of the current bioethics deadlocks are caused by universal standards of ethical judgement often being replaced by pragmatic decisions taken in the name of a partial good, largely tinged with subjectivity. A large portion of the lexicon concerns the family (relationships, homosexuality and gender theory) as well as human life and the threats affecting today, in particular at its beginning and end (abortion, medical pregnancy terminations and assisted reproduction.

The Lexicon is a journey back to the roots of reason enlightened by the Faith, a tool for linking Revelation to philosophical thinking. It is not intended only for Catholics but for all people of good will who reject "ready-baked thinking" and are looking for answers to the questions they still dare to ask.

* "Lexique des termes ambigus et controversés sur la famille, la vie et les questions éthiques" 1008 pp, éditions Téqui, June 2005

- Zenit 01/06/05 - Le Monde (Henri Tincq) 02/06/05 - Le Figaro (Sophie de Ravinel) 02/06/05 - La Croix (Nicolas Senèze) 02/06/05 - Famille Chrétienne 04-10/06/05

Italian Referendum: Pope calls for abstention

On Monday, 30 May, Pope Benedict XVI congratulated the Italian bishops on their stand taken with regard to the referendum on assisted reproduction (see Press review of 16/05/05). The referendum was instigated by the Italian left with a view to repealing assisted reproduction and embryonic research constraints imposed by existing legislation. At the moment, it is illegal to carry out heterologous fertilisation (involving sperm or eggs from an external donor), create more than three embryos during IVF or perform research on human embryos. The current law is considered a "lesser evil" by the Catholic Church.

The Italian bishops have called on Catholics not to vote on 12 June. In Italy, a quota (50% of the electorate plus one eligible voter) must be met for the referendum to be valid. Abstaining from voting would therefore invalidate the reform. According to Cardinal Ruini, president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, this tactic on behalf of the Italian bishops is not designed "to place obstacles in the path of science but to guide it so that it doesn't lose sight of the value and dignity of all human beings".

"Your commitment," the Pope told the bishops, "is a sign of your caring as pastors for all human beings, who can never be reduced to a means but are an end in themselves, as the teachings of Christ and human reason tell us. Here, we are not working for Catholic interests but for man, a creature of God."

La Croix (Yvette Pitette) 31/05/05 - Le Nouvel Observateur 31/05/05- Zenit 31/05/05 - - Le Monde (Jean-Jacques Bozonnet) 02/06/05

New method for freezing eggs

At the World Congress on In Vitro Fertilisation, Assisted Reproduction & Genetics, held last weekend in Istanbul, a team from the University of Michigan, led by Gary Smith, presented its work on egg freezing.

While sperm and embryos are commonly frozen for assisted reproduction, the egg freezing technique is not yet mastered as crystals form during freezing which can be harmful to eggs. The researchers therefore experimented with a new technique known as vitrification. With this procedure, matter changes from a liquid to a solid state without forming crystals.

Using vitrification, Gary Smith's team claimed to have achieved a 98% survival rate for mature (mice) eggs as opposed to around 50% through freezing. The researchers then used the ICSI technique (which involves injecting sperm directly into an egg). The final birth rate was 30%, which is close to IVF birth rates without freezing.

Canadian researchers also announced the birth of a baby using a frozen egg. This is the first time a successful birth involving a frozen egg has been recorded in this country.

Around 200 children are born throughout the world using eggs frozen over the last 20 years. Most of these eggs were frozen in the standard way.

This technique could enable women required to undergo intensive medical treatment to freeze their eggs. However, there is a concern that certain women will use this technique to delay having children without having to take into account their "biological clock".

Le Nouvel Observateur (Cécile Dumas) 30/05/05 -  Matinternet 30/05/05

Netherlands: debate on Darwinism

The Dutch minister of education, Maria van der Hoeven, caused a stir on Saturday, 21 May, when she indicated she wanted to organise a debate in the autumn between supporters of Darwin's theory on the evolution of species and proponents of creationism and religiously inspired "intelligent design" theories.

For creationists, natural selection described by Darwin is not enough to explain the perfection of genetic coding or the natural balance of life on Earth. They speak of a "superior intelligent force" as being the source of creation.

In the Minister's view, Darwin's theories are "incomplete" and "new things" have been discovered since. She nonetheless stressed that she did not intend introducing creationist theories in school curricula.

For further information on evolution, see the press review of 16/04/2003.

 Le Monde (Jean-Pierre Stroobants) 25&28/05/05

In 2003, abortions in Spain increased by 3.45% compared to 2002 with around 80,000 abortions carried out. The abortion rate for the under 25s has doubled in 7 years. The Spanish Ministry of Health is concerned by these figures and is due to conduct a survey to analyse the reasons behind the increase.

La Croix 03/06/05