Pope Francis Calls for Global Ban on 'Deplorable' Surrogacy

The Pope's comments, made during his annual foreign policy address, are likely to provoke controversy, particularly among pro-LGBT+ groups.

Pope Francis has called for a global ban on surrogate motherhood, describing it as a 'deplorable' practice that turns an unborn child into an 'object of trafficking'.
The Pope's comments were part of his annual foreign policy address to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, in which he listed threats to global peace and human dignity.
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.
However, the Vatican’s doctrine office has made clear that homosexual parents who resort to surrogacy can have their children baptized.
The Pope's call for a ban on surrogacy is likely to provoke controversy, particularly among pro-LGBT+ groups, as surrogacy is often used by same-sex couples who want to have children.