{"id":20056,"date":"2017-05-18T14:22:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-18T14:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/no-research-justifies-the-use-of-human-embryos-pope-francis-says-92235\/"},"modified":"2017-05-18T14:22:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-18T14:22:00","slug":"pope-francis-to-huntingtons-patients-you-deserve-respect-and-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/05\/pope-francis-to-huntingtons-patients-you-deserve-respect-and-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Pope Francis to Huntington’s patients: You deserve respect and love"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, May 18, 2017 \/ 08:22 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Pope Francis on Thursday offered a message of hope and love to patients with Huntington\u2019s disease, a rare and incurable genetic brain disorder that causes intense suffering.<\/p>\n

In his speech, Francis said the fears and difficulties of people affected by Huntington\u2019s disease have been surrounded \u201cwith misunderstandings and barriers (for) far too long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many cases the sick and their families have experienced the tragedy of shame, isolation and abandonment. Today, however, we are here because we want to say to ourselves and all the world: \u2018HIDDEN NO MORE!\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a slogan, but a commitment we must foster, he continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe strength and conviction with which we pronounce these words derive precisely from what Jesus himself taught us,\u201d he said, noting that throughout his ministry, Jesus \u201cmet many sick people; he took on their suffering; he tore down the walls of stigma and of marginalization that prevented so many of them from feeling respected and loved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis spoke during a conference organized at the Vatican hosting people affected by Huntington\u2019s disease, along with their families and caretakers.<\/p>\n

Huntington\u2019s disease is characterized by rapid, uncontrollable muscle movement known as chorea. As the disease progresses, it can lead to loss of control over speech and memory, dementia and death. The gene which causes Huntington\u2019s was discovered nearly 25 years ago, but there is still no cure and relatively limited treatment options.<\/p>\n

This is especially true for people living in South America, where prevalence of the disease is almost 1,000 times higher than in the rest of the world and often combined with extreme poverty. Because the disease affects families generationally, they are often caught in a cycle of need.<\/p>\n

The meeting with Pope Francis was called \u201cHDdennomore\u201d (pronounced \u201chidden no more\u201d) and put on in special solidarity with South America. Two families from Venezuela, two from Colombia, and one girl from Argentina \u2013 all affected by the disease in different ways \u2013 were brought to the Vatican by a humanitarian group to meet the Pope. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Also present at the audience were members of the medical and scientific communities who treat the patients with Huntington\u2019s and perform research on how to prevent the disease or slow its progression.<\/p>\n

In total, there were some 1,700 people present from 16 different countries. Seated in the front row were 150 people affected by Huntington\u2019s that each got a personal greeting from Pope Francis, who stayed nearly an hour after the audience concluded in order to greet them all individually.<\/p>\n

Jesus never let disease keep him from an encounter with people, but instead taught that every human person is precious and has dignity \u2013 something no person or illness can erase, the Pope explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrothers and sisters, as you see, you are a large and motivated community,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay the life of each of you \u2013 both those who are directly affected by Huntington\u2019s disease and those who work hard every day to support the sick in their pain and difficulty \u2013 be a living witness to the hope that Christ has given us,\u201d he said, noting that \u201ceven through suffering there passes a path of abundant good, which we can travel together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stressing the value of every human life, the Pope emphasized that no outcome can ever justify the use or destruction of embryos for scientific research \u2013 even for the commendable cause of trying to help those suffering from incurable diseases.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome branches of research use human embryos, inevitably causing their destruction. But we know that no ends, even noble in themselves \u2013 such as a predicted utility for science, for other human beings or for society \u2013 can justify the destruction of human embryos,\u201d he said May 18.<\/p>\n

Currently there are several ethical problems surrounding the research on Huntington\u2019s disease, including the use of embryonic stem cells taken from embryos made through in vitro fertilization.<\/p>\n

The Pope noted this fact during the audience, encouraging scientists to pursue scientific advancement only through means that do not contribute to the \u201cthrow-away culture\u201d which treats human beings as objects for use.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Vatican City, May 18, 2017 \/ 08:22 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Thursday offered a message of hope and love to patients with Huntington’s disease, a rare and incurable genetic brain disorder that causes intense suffering.<\/p>\n

In his speech, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nPope Francis to Huntington's patients: You deserve respect and love<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, May 18, 2017 \/ 08:22 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Thursday offered a message of hope and love to patients with Huntington’s disease, a rare and incurable genetic brain disorder that causes intense suffering. 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