The government has started a public consultation on a bill that regulates in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the local Roman Catholic Diocese Sunday held a signature campaign in front of the churches of Macau’s nine parishes against the use of assisted reproductive technology.
It was reported by local Catholic weekly O Clarim (“The Bugle”) on Friday that the Diocesan Family, Marriage and Life Commission was of the view that the diocese “absolutely disagrees” with IVF.
“Besides declaring the Macau diocese’s stance against IVF, the diocese also believes that the moment when the fertilised egg becomes an embryo, growing inside the mother’s womb is an indispensible right of life,” the newspaper quoted a Chinese-language statement by the diocese as saying.
The statement says that the diocese opposes IVF as it infringes on human dignity, stressing that it is also against sperm donation, egg donation and embryo donation, which could result in the risk of incest.
According to The Macau Post Daily,signatures were collected after Mass at the churches in the nine parishes yesterday and the signed petition will be submitted with the statement on the diocese’s stance against IVF to the government.
The government’s public consultation period will end on Friday.
According to diocese sources, about 6 percent of the population is Catholic.
