Mary Meets Dolly is a website that helps shine a Catholic light on contemporary happenings in genetics, genetic engineering, and biotechnology.
Why “Mary Meets Dolly”? Dolly the sheep was the first mammal cloned from adult tissue (specifically, from a mammary cell of a grown ewe). Before Dolly, cloning an adult organism was thought to be impossible. With her birth came all the possibilities and ethical implications of cloning humans. Mary Meets Dolly is, literally, the meeting of the world of genetics and genetic engineering, represented by Dolly, “mother” of modern biotechnology, and the teachings of the Catholic Church on the sanctity of life, represented by Mary, mother of Christ and the Church. So, while “Mary Meets Dolly” may sound glib, its subject matter is definitely not.
At this site, Catholics can find information to better understand stem cell research, therapeutic and reproductive cloning, genetic testing, and much more. The Topics section has articles covering various technologies; what is moral, what is immoral. It also has articles on pertinent topics by other authors. The Books section has a reading list for those who want to do their own research. The Links page has a list of websites through which one can keep up to date in this rapidly changing field. The Glossary page lists important terms and their definitions. The Church Teaching page has official Catholic Church teaching on reproductive issues and the sanctity of human life. The Blog has my daily thoughts on new developments and a chance for you to respond. And my favorite, the Quotes section, has all the verbal gems I have found that say it all.
