Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Seoul (Fides Service) - The Catholic archdiocese of Seoul has formed its own Pro-Life Commission. The news was announced by the Archbishop Nicholas Cheong who explained that the commission will keep watch on bio-ethical matters and developments and serve as the local Church’s channel for defending human life from conception to natural end. The commission, whose members are bishops, doctors, jurists, theologians, experts in bio-ethics, will be chaired by Bishop Andrew Yeom-soo jung auxiliary of Seoul.
The Commission - the archbishop said - “will decide whether scientific studies and developments in the field of genetics and embryology are in keeping with the order of Creation”. “Following the example of Jesus Christ who showed his love and concern for the sick, we fully support medical-scientific studies to alleviate pain especially the suffering of terminally ill patients”, he added. The faithful have been asked to support the work of the Commission with donations of money.
In Korea bio-ethical developments have been in the spotlight in 2005 and the local Church was swift to act. When it was announced that a team of Korean scientists led by Prof. Hwang Woo-suk of the National University Seoul had cloned human embryos, the Catholic community staged a street protest to demand respect for human life from the first instant to natural end; respect for the rights of the human embryo which is not an object; prohibition of the aberrant practice of human cloning in which the human takes the place of God; respect for life of every person irrespective of the ‘quality’.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 7/10/2005 righe 28 parole 287)
