In Vitro Fertilization providers treat the person like an object, not a subject with rights.

IVF treats the human person like a commercial product that can be deliberately killed, suspended at an early level of development, sold like chattel, or replicated at large scale.

The vast majority of IVF cycles involve the fertilization of more than one egg (usually around ten or fifteen of them) in a lab setting. A few or only one of those is selected to be transferred to the mother, with only one being carried to term about half the time, if that. The rest of the fertilized embryos either die in utero, are discarded as medical waste, or are frozen indefinitely.

ICYMI: How Should We Protect Against Harm Online?

In the first episode of our new video podcast series, we reacted to the Supreme Court's decision upholding age verification laws in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. We also discussed ways to fight the spread of pornography and offer healing for families and individuals. We were thrilled to have Clare Morell of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and Fr. Allen Hoffa of Integrity Restored in studio for our first episode.

New episodes will be featured on the USCCB's Youtube channel, and the audio-only versions will be available in the existing Made for Love podcast feed.

 Create in Me a Pure Heart has been published!

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the USCCB's pastoral statement on the scourge of pornography, which is being published anew this year under the title Create in Me a Pure Heart. The USCCB website contains the online PDF version, and Ascension Press has now published the print version!

The tenth anniversary edition contains a new preface with practical recommendations to help pastors, lay leaders, families, educators, and civil leaders protect against pornography's many dangers.

Legal/Policy Updates

Congress - The USCCB endorsed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) (S 1748). Bishop William D. Byrne, chairman of USCCB’s Committee on Communications and Bishop Robert Barron, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth wrote in support of the legislation, underscoring that “[t]he protection of children is not only a moral imperative. It is also an indication of cultural and societal priorities.”

Ahead of Senate consideration on the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," six committee chairmen from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote to commend certain provisions, such as those protecting human life and dignity as fundamental priorities, but also urged reconsideration of provisions that will harm the poor and disadvantaged. This letter followed a previous Letter to Congress, sent ahead of House consideration of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

Courts - Female athletes from Oregon high schools filed a federal lawsuit over alleged Title IX violations by the state of Oregon and several of its school districts. The girls were forced to withdraw from competition or ranked lower because administrators allowed biological male athletes to compete against them. This suit comes amid an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into Oregon's related Title IX violations.

Sports - The US Olympic Committee changed its policies to prohibit biological men from participating in women's sports. The move to respect the realities of biological sex came in response to the February Executive Order "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" that was welcomed by Bishop Barron.