Brazil Court Debates Frozen Embryos’ Rights

On the eve of Pope Benedict’s visit, Brazil’s Supreme Court heard testimony April 20 over whether medical researchers using stem cells from frozen embryos were violating a constitutional right to life, Reuters reported.

Doctors, scientists and medical researchers were invited to testify in the world’s largest Catholic country. A decision is expected in July.

Archbishop Odilo Scherer of São Paulo reiterated the Church’s position: “We must always take into account that this is an embryo, it’s a human being.”

Russia Latest to Consider ‘Right to Die’

Russia’s Federation Council has introduced a draft bill in late April that would legalize euthanasia, the St. Petersburg Times reported, putting the Christian country in company that includes Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Russian Orthodox Church has condemned the euthanasia plan, calling the initiative “absolutely amoral from the religious point of view.” The Church also suggested that it should be involved in the debate.

One woman, who has severe Hepatitis C, said, “It looks to me as if the state cannot cope with masses of sick and feeble people. And so it is cynically hoping to reduce their numbers by offering to help them commit painless suicide, as opposed to granting them a course of therapy to ease the pain, a psychotherapist and plenty of medication to improve the quality of their last days.”

Chinese Bishop’s Death Creates Vacuum

The April 20 death of Bishop Michael Fu Tieshan of Beijing, shown above, has analysts wondering if China will conduct business as usual or try to repair its relationship with the Vatican, reported Ecumenical News International.

The death of Bishop Fu, who was appointed by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and was loyal to the communist ideology, “is a national matter, more than a religious one,” Hong Kong-based Franciscan Father Stephen Chan said.

Father Bernardo Cervellera, the editor of AsiaNews, said, “Perhaps Fu’s death will open a new chapter in the choice of a new pastor in Beijing who is more attentive to a harmonious society and more faithful to the Catholic Church.”