Pope Francis urges worldwide ban on ''despicable'' surrogacy

In his annual foreign policy address to ambassadors, Pope Francis strongly condemned surrogate motherhood as "despicable" and urged for a universal ban on the practice, including its commercialization.

Expressing concern over the violation of the dignity of women and children through surrogate motherhood, Pope Francis declared that the exploitation of mothers' material needs in this process is unacceptable. He emphasized the need to protect the lives of unborn children, stressing that they should never be subject to commercial contracts.

Calling for a comprehensive global ban on surrogacy, the Pope's stance aligns with the Catholic Church's opposition to what he has previously termed as "uterus for rent." While certain European countries, including Spain and Italy, already prohibit surrogacy, the Vatican has previously clarified its position on baptizing children born through surrogacy to homosexual parents.

Pope Francis's strong condemnation of surrogacy in his foreign policy address signals the Vatican's continued stance against the practice, emphasizing the need for a worldwide prohibition.

[Source: AP News]