DC Debate: What does the Catholic Church Teach about Embryo Adoption?
Thursday, October 22, 2026 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dr. John Haas, president of the International Institute for Culture, will be joining in a debate with Dr. Elizabeth Rex.
Location:
Saint John Paul II National Shrine
3900 Harewood Road, NE, Washington DC 20017
Can adopting a frozen embryo save a human life while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching? On Thursday, October 22, at 7 p.m., Dr. John Haas and Dr. Elizabeth Rex will debate “What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Embryo Adoption?” at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. Embryo adoption involves transferring a previously frozen embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) into another woman’s womb so she can carry and raise the child.
For Catholics, the question is particularly challenging: the Church affirms the dignity of every human life from conception while opposing IVF and upholding the inseparable relationship between marriage, the marital act, and procreation. The debate will explore whether adopting an already existing embryo can be a morally acceptable act of rescue, considering the Vatican’s recognition of the compassionate intention behind embryo adoption and its serious moral concerns about the practice.
John Haas, PhD, STL, M.Div
- President Emeritus, The National Catholic Bioethics Center
- Founder & President, The International Institute for Culture
- Currently serves as the John Cardinal Krol Professor of Moral Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Rex, PhD, MBA, Th (cand.)
- Associate Scholar, The Charlotte Lozier Institute
- 3 Books on Embryo Adoption
- Founder & President, The Donum Vitae Institute
- Formerly served as Adjunct Professor of Catholic Bioethics & Medical Ethics at Holy Apostles College & Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut
Seating is limited for this unprecedented event!
RSVP – call or text Missy Smith • 202-288-4984