Archbishop Joseph Mercieca yesterday stressed the importance of having a law to regulate the technology of assisted procreation and protect the rights of the newly conceived.

Speaking during a concelebrated Mass at St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta on the occasion of the World Day of Peace, Mgr Mercieca said such a law should leave no room for actions that go against the dignity of man and against the function and rights that God gave to the family.

There are still people, he said, who raise doubts as to whether human life starts the moment the spermatozoon penetrates the ovum or later when the fusion between them occurs. "We need to keep in mind that the official stand of the Catholic Church is clear regarding this matter: The moment the spermatozoon penetrates the ovum is when the existence of a new human being begins," he said.

It was also good to remember that the Church's teaching was officially confirmed in the Pontifical Academy for Life's Final Declaration issued at the end of its 12th general assembly on March 23.

The academy is made up of academics, experts in the subject, chosen from different countries and religious denominations.

Earlier this year, the Maltese bishops had said in a statement that the Church appreciated the efforts being made locally to introduce a law regulating bioethics.

Quoting liberally from Pope Benedict XVI's message for the New Year, Mgr Mercieca said the Pope reminded the faithful that abortion and embryonic experimentation were a direct breach of acceptance of others, which was indispensable for people to establish lasting peaceful relationships.

In his message, the Pope calls for peace for all those who are suffering because they are victims of violence or their dignity is being undermined.

He also casts his thoughts towards children whose future is being compromised by exploitation and deception.

"The scripture teaches us that God created humans, man and woman. He created them in his own image. Each human has his dignity as a person; man and woman are not objects but people and nobody can use them as he wants," the Archbishop said, adding that people have the ability to work for peace and justice.

He said Pope Benedict tells us that peace is a gift from God but it is also achieved through man's work and it is the duty of man to strive for it.

The Pope also points out that the Church defends the fundamental rights of each and every person, particularly their religious liberty.

The Pontiff notes the importance of respecting the environment, saying that if people really want peace they need to recognise the inseparable link between respecting the environment and peace among humans.

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