The USCCB concluded its semi-annual meeting on June 14, after a lively debate about a new 700-page translation of the Roman Missal. A summary of the proceedings suggested that the bishops had also accepted a report from John Jay College on the implications of the abuse crisis for the priesthood in the US Church.

Perhaps most controversial were the deliberations over a resolution dealing with embryonic stem cell research. Their report, entitled "On Embryonic Stem Cell Research," began with a quote from Pope Benedict, who said early this year that the Church "appreciates and encourages the progress of the biomedical sciences which open up unprecedented therapeutic prospects." The Bishops expressed particular concern about the creation of embryos for the purpose of extracting stem cells from them, but also spoke out against scientists relying on frozen embryos created in fertility clinics. The Vatican is said to be contemplating a more definitive statement about the use of such embryos that are not used for their originally intended reproductive purposes.

The Bishops briefly commented on the emergence of new technologies that bypass the use of whole embryos by reprogramming adult cells directly into stem cells, applauding the role that Catholic researchers are playing in developing these methods. Many scientists and theologians feel that such technologies will eventually overcome all the moral reservations about the use of embryonic stem cells for regenerative research.

One issue not discussed in the document is any concern for the 2/3 of all embryos that die naturally during the first trimester. Reproductive endocrinologists have estimated that 70% of all fertilization events in humans do not result in a viable fetus. Virtually no NIH funding is dedicated to saving these embryos, or even to understanding why they die and are expelled. While fading forms of embryonic stem cell research may imperil a few hundred embryos around the world, hundreds of millions of natural embryo deaths every year apparently elicit no moral concerns--as judged by the virtual absence of research funding dedicated to saving those potential lives.

Matthew 25 suggests that neglecting to help the most vulnerable is a quintessential test of our Christianity. Despite having committed ourselves as Catholics to supporting life "from conception to natural death," it seems unlikely that anyone in the Church is willing to commit ourselves to the logical extension of this conclusion: advocating for the millions and millions of embryos--which actually outnumber live births--that are dying natural deaths through neglect each year around the world.