Pope Francis urged the international community to implement a universal ban on surrogacy, describing the practice as “deplorable” and a “grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child” in his New Year’s address to diplomats at the Vatican,

The 87-year-old pontiff emphasized the need to respect life, starting with the unborn child in the mother’s womb.

He expressed disapproval of surrogate motherhood, condemning it as an exploitation of situations related to the mother’s material needs.

“A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract,” Pope Francis stated. “Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally.”

This is not the first time the Pope has spoken out against surrogacy. In June 2022, he previously condemned surrogacy as an “inhuman” practice.

The Vatican has, however, clarified that children of homosexual parents who resort to surrogacy can still be baptized.

Pope Francis’ recent remarks on surrogacy come amidst a broader discourse on issues threatening global peace and human dignity.

While some European countries, such as Spain and Italy, prohibit commercial surrogacy, others like Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Brazil, and Colombia permit “altruistic” surrogacy, where no money changes hands except for necessary expenses. Commercial surrogacy is allowed in certain US states.

The Pope’s stance against surrogacy aligns with the Catholic Church’s opposition to what he has previously referred to as “uterus for rent.”