“The power of biotechnologies, which now permit manipulations of life that were unthinkable until now, poses formidable questions,” emphasised the Pope in his opening address at the XXIIIth General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life. “It is therefore urgent to intensify the study and exchange on the effects of such evolution of society in a technological sense to articulate an anthropological synthesis able to face this major challenge“.
At the Vatican, members of the Pontifical Academy for Life came together to discuss the topic of “Accompanying Life. New responsibilities in the technological era“, which took place from 5 to 7 October 2017. Delegates from the United States, India, France, Italy and Brazil were interested in the impact of technology at each stage of human life. In his speech, the Holy Father deplored the “culture obsessively focused on the sovereignty of man in relation to reality“. He called upon people to “resist the anaesthesia and debasement of humanism” and reminded everyone that humans are not just “an aggregate of cells, well organised and selected through the course of life“. He stressed the importance of “the responsible accompaniment of human life, from conception and throughout its entire course, up to its natural end, (…) a task of discernment and intelligence of love for free and impassioned men and women“.
Radio Vatican (06/10/2017) – Osservatore Romano (05/10/2017)