Catholics/InVitro-Fertilization

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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 2/18/2010


Question
Hi Father,
I'm a Roman Catholic Christian. I don't believe in fertility treatments of any kind. I know their wrong. My father told me that when he was young, someone from the church told him that any child born from IVF, or other fertility treatments like it, do not have souls because they were not given to us by God. Is this true? Do those children not have a soul?
  Also, what about guardian angels, if it's true they don't have souls, then they don't have a guardian angel either, right?

Thank You for you time.

Answer
Hi, Amber:
Thanks for the thoughtful and important question.

I am sorry that your father was misinformed when he was young concerning whether an IVF baby has a soul or not.  The soul is always given as a direct creation by God; and a living human being, by the very fact that they are ALIVE, has a soul.  The soul is the invisible life-principle of any living being.  A living human being has a human soul created by God, or else it would not be alive.
Just because IVF is immoral does not mean that the baby produced is not truly human... just think about the case of a child conceived outside of marriage.
God does not somehow "punish" the child by not giving it a soul, or something.  The situations I have described here are morally wrong because they separate out the life-giving biological function of procreation from the marital bond of union that is supposed to exist for this kind of love between a man and a woman for the whole of their lives.
And, of course everybody has a gurdian angel, or guardian angels.  God always provides for us, and calls us to the saving power of Jesus and communion with His Holy Catholic Church.
+ God bless you, and have a great day!

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

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A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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