The arrival of genetic engineering presents Catholics with an interesting moral dilemma. Although it clearly brings with it immense benefits for the entire human race, certain aspects of it don't bide by Catholic moral teachings. If a doctor uses biotechnology to diagnose or cure a patient, is he playing God, or simply saving life? Due to issues like these, the Catholic Church holds certain reservations when it comes to this new field in science. The Church's view is not strictly a one way street however; it can also see the benefits present in this science.

"The Catholic Bishops of the United States believe that, despite occasional tensions and disagreements, there can be no irreconcilable conflict between religion and science (Schnurr 1)." As Monsignor Schnurr points out, the Church has nothing against sciences like genetic engineering, as long as they agree with its moral guidelines. The Church believes that many aspects of genetic engineering are beneficial, and should be further researched and implemented.

Genetic testing and screening has obvious uses. People's genes can be checked for diseases, negative traits, and disabilities. If someone is genetically tested they can

"The Church's knowledge of the human heart springs from 2,000 years of moral reflection based ultimately on divine revelation (Schnurr 1)." Despite this, the majority of Catholic moral tradition predates genetic engineering by hundreds of years. Genetic engineering clearly offers new challenges for the Church to address. While speaking to the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope John Paul II said, "Indeed, the biomedical sciences are currently experiencing a period of rapid and marvelous discovery... But if scientific research is to be directed toward respect for personal dignity and support of human life, its scientific validity according to the rules of each discipline is not enough." Scientific research must also qualify positively from a moral point of view. Also, from the outset all research should be conducted solely to promote the "true good of human beings as individuals and as a community (Schnurr 1)." Clearly, the scientific community alone cannot bear the responsibility of ensuring all research is morally sound. As our Pope said, "Catholic clergy and laity must become knowledgeable about emerging biotechnologies if they are to help people make the critical decisions they will inevitably face." Both the Church and the scientific community can benefit from a merging of scientific study and religious morality.

Not all risks of genetic engineering lie in the future. Today, genetic engineering is already being exploited and taken advantage of by the immoral and greedy. Commercial businesses are starting to offer genetic screenings for sale (Schnurr 1). The market is potentially huge, virtually everyone could be tested for some disease or defect. For example, all women could be screened for BRCA 1 and -2 breast cancer mutations. This would seem beneficial, until it is realized that only about 1,400 of the heredity-influenced diseases science has identified are currently curable (Singer 34). Getting a positive result on an incurable disease could be devastating. Knowing that one has a predisposition to cancer, or is at serious risk of developing early-onset heart disease, can have very serious psychological consequences. Moreover, information about one's genetic makeup tells a lot about one's relative's genetic makeup. If a woman carries a predisposing breast cancer mutation, there is a fifty-percent chance that one or more of her sisters do as well. Her relationship with them will be affected whether she shares what she knows or not (Singer 34).

This is not surprising; the Church has always had a similar view of genetic engineering, and scie

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