First, the instruction provides a restatement of many of the “basic principles” first outlined in the 1987 instruction Donum Vitae, helping to navigate the “sometimes complicated waters” of modern biotechnology.
Second, it provides help in addressing new issues that have developed since 1987, providing “helpful guidance” in areas not previously discussed in detail.
In Father Pacholczyk ‘s view, Dignitas Personae will “become another ‘reference point’ for those within the Church who are discussing and trying to properly apply the timeless principles of the Church to new developments.”
It will be relevant “especially among believers,” he continued, also noting that the document was written and addressed to “all men of good will.” This recognizes that many of principles and aspects of the discussion in the document should be “truths that even somebody without religion would be able to appreciate.”
“These are aspects of what we call the natural law, and they don’t depend strictly on Revelation,” Father Pacholczyk told CNA.
“In theory, this document should also be of interest to those who are seeking to know what is moral, what is ethical, and what is not in the realm of new developments in biotechnology,” he added.
“Whether it will actually have that effect is always hard to say, because it will depend on variables such as a person’s views with regard to the Catholic Church speaking authoritatively.
“My hope is that it will find a receptive audience, especially among those who are actually involved in doing some of these techniques, and pioneering some of these new technologies.”
Father Tad Pacholczyk said Dignitas Personae could be of “great assistance to those who are trying to enter more fully into where the Church is coming from.
“This document provides these basic principles and a good discussion of them, and really provides a kind of consistent view that covers the entire gamut of new developments.”
When CNA asked what he found particularly striking about Dignitas Personae, Father Pacholczyk singled out its discussion of embryo adoption.
(Story continues below)
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
“The treatment of embryo adoption was an aspect of this document that many people were hoping would be addressed, but nobody was really sure. So it was good to see that that subject area, which has been an area of much discussion over the past years, is being addressed.
“It appears that this document did not speak the ‘final word,’ perhaps, on embryo adoption. There appears to be still a little bit of ambiguity or openness, at least, in the way that it was phrased.
“But clearly, this document is moving in the direction of indicating that embryo adoption will not be likely to be acceptable as a means of trying to save frozen embryos.”
The U.S. bishops’ Q &A document is located at http://www.usccb.org/comm/Dignitaspersonae/Q_and_A.pdf