Pope Francis calls for ban on surrogacy and ‘commercialisation’ of pregnancy

Pope Francis said surrogacy was a grave violation of the mother and child and called for the ban of the practice

The religious leader has spoken out against what he referred to as ‘uterus for rent’ before (Reuters)

Pope Francis has called for a universal ban on the “despicable” practice of surrogacy and spoken out against the “commercialisation” of pregnancy.

Francis said surrogate motherhood represented a grave violation of the mother and child and urged the international community to prohibit the practice.

Surrogacy is when a woman carries a baby for a couple who are unable to conceive or carry a child themselves for medical or physical reasons.

“I consider despicable 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,” he said.

“A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.”

Francis has previously voiced the Catholic Church’s opposition to what he has called “uterus for rent,” and some European countries prohibit it, including Spain and Italy. At the same time, however, the Vatican’s doctrine office has made clear that homosexual parents who resort to surrogacy can have their children baptised.

Pope Francis said surrogacy, where a woman carries a baby for a couple unable to conceive, was a ‘grave violation’ of the mother and child (AP)

Francis also warned global peace was increasingly threatened and weakened, citing Israel, Ukraine and climate change during his foreign policy address to ambassadors.

He denounced the “large-scale war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine”. It marked an unusual break with Francis’ usual tendency to avoid blaming Moscow directly for the invasion when expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

He also condemned Hamas’ 7 October assault on Israel. He said the attack provoked a strong Israeli military response that had left thousands dead and created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Last month, Pope Francis approved the blessing of same-sex couples by priests but said the Church still states that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Last month, Pope Francis approved the blessing of same-sex couples by priests (Getty)

The announcement on Vatican News marked a significant change in the position of the Catholic Church as it seeks to welcome more people into its teaching and practice.

However, the document outlining the radical policy change stressed that the ritual should not be confused with the sacrament of marriage, and it included a number of caveats.

The Vatican has long opposed gay marriage, with homosexuality considered “intrinsically disordered”, but Francis has shown support for same-sex civil unions on several occasions.