Upon the teaching and the tradition, surrogate motherhood is wrong and against Faithful Investing because:
1. Surrogate motherhood is contrary to the unity of marriage and to the dignity of the procreation of the human person.
The unity of marriage, as taught in Catholic tradition, is a sacred bond that encompasses both the relational and procreative dimensions of human life. This unity is based on the belief that marriage is meant to be a partnership that naturally leads to the creation of life within the context of the couple’s unique relationship. Surrogacy, however, introduces a third party into this intimate process, disrupting the unity that is intrinsic to marital love. By relying on an external individual to bear a child, surrogacy undermines the personal and spiritual connection that marriage seeks to uphold in the act of procreation.
2. Represents an objective failure to meet the obligations of maternal love, of conjugal fidelity, and of responsible motherhood.
The obligations of maternal love and responsible motherhood are central to Catholic teachings on family life and the upbringing of children. In this view, motherhood is not simply a biological process but a vocation that involves deep personal commitment and care for the child. When surrogacy is introduced, the responsibilities associated with motherhood can become fragmented, as the surrogate’s involvement is often limited to the gestational period, with no commitment to the child after birth. This compartmentalization of maternal responsibilities is seen as an “objective failure” in meeting the ethical obligations of motherhood. Thus, faith-based views argue that surrogacy fails to uphold the full commitment that parenthood and fidelity in marriage require.
3. It offends the dignity and the right of the child to be conceived, carried in the womb, brought into the world, and brought up by his own parents.
The dignity of the child is a paramount concern in the Catholic tradition, which emphasizes that every child has the inherent right to be born from and nurtured by his or her biological parents. This right respects the natural order and the personal connection between parent and child, which begins in the womb and continues through upbringing.
Surrogacy disrupts this continuity, as the child is often conceived through artificial means and gestated by someone outside the marital relationship, distancing the child from the biological and emotional bond with the parents. This separation is seen as an offense to the child’s dignity, as it treats the child more as a product of contractual obligations than as a person who is part of a family.
4. It sets up, to the detriment of families, a division between the physical, psychological, and moral elements that constitute those families.
Families are built on complex relationships that involve physical, emotional, and moral bonds among members. According to Catholic teachings, these bonds are meant to be interconnected, forming a stable foundation for family life. Surrogacy, however, introduces a division in these elements, as the physical process of carrying the child is outsourced to another person, while the psychological and moral responsibilities of parenting are retained by the biological parents. This separation can weaken the family’s unity, creating confusion and division around roles and responsibilities. By maintaining that the family should be an integrated unit, Catholic teaching cautions against practices like surrogacy that divide essential family roles, as stated in Domun Vitae. [1]
Additionally, Pope Francis stated last week:
“In this regard, I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,”
In recent years, the corporate world has seen a surge in benefits programs supporting employees financially in their surrogacy journeys. Companies have expanded their benefits to cover surrogacy expenses, yet it is crucial to question the moral stance these actions convey.
As professionals and individuals, we hold the power to choose which practices and companies we support with our investments.
The alignment between our values and our investments should be reflective of our commitment to uphold human dignity and ethical standards.
[1] (DONUM VITAE Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation Replies to Certain Questions of the Day 22 February 1987)
