Karen Hall’s “Ooky” Detector is A-OK!
It’s not too often that I direct Martha’s attention in the supermarket queue away from People Magazine and tell her to see what’s in the new Vogue or what Bat Boy is up to. But, like Karen, Joan Lunden’s anticipated motherhood by surrogate sets off my “ooky” detector.

The announcement was that, at age 52, she was about to be the proud mother of twins. Nothing wrong with that, I say, as a proud 46 year-old mother of a toddler. Except that Joan isn't carrying her twins. She is paying someone to do that.

But did I mention, Joan already has children -- three grown daughters. She wants children with her current husband. That's nothing I can throw stones at either. But something about this entire story is setting off my "ooky" detector.

I can’t answer all of Karen’s questions about the Church’s teachings on fertility treatments (I always refer the shrill indignant callers to a priest. “Just what is it about the Catholic Church and in vitro?” is enough of a tip-off that it’s more than I can handle. And enough that I can warn the fathers to brace themselves....) but I do find the Catechism quite helpful. Especially in its reminder that no one has a right to a child. And that for some people, childlesness may be their cross to bear. But many people don’t wish to hear that.

And articles and TV appearances by celebs such as Ms. Lunden just innoculate society at large against the evil that is involved in so many fertility procedures by giving it a cute gloss. How many People readers will question what could be so wrong with someone being so full of love and desire for a child that she would do anything to have one? Or two? Slow, gentle exposure to evil, under the guise of the sweet and lovely is very insidious.