Diocesan teachers and administrators gathered last week at the annual Diocesan Education Institute at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. During this annual institute, Catholic school students get the day off while their teachers spend the day being refreshed in their knowledge.

"What we’re all about is students and children," said diocesan Superintendent Dr. Timothy McNiff.

But teachers in Catholic schools must care about more than just reading, writing and arithmetic. They also must guide their students in their formation as young men and women of the Church.

As the debate fuels in Richmond on whether or not the state will support embryonic stem-cell research, the Arlington Diocese wants to ensure that the young people in its schools are well-informed on the issue. A curriculum has been developed for grades five through 12 to teach students not only where the Church stands in the embryonic stem-cell debate, but also the scientific background that supports its stance.

"We are responsible for forming disciples of Christ … aiding our young people to make the right choices in life so they can be the persons God wants them to be," said Father Paul deLadurantaye, diocesan secretary of religious education and sacred liturgy, in his keynote address.

Catholic social teaching — the supremacy of the life and dignity of all God’s children — is an important part of education in Catholic schools.

Citing the preamble of the Constitution and Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Father deLadurantaye began his talk by demonstrating that our nation was founded on the principle that all humans should be afforded certain fundamental and inherent rights.

When engaging in dialogue and debate with others over issues concerning the right to life and stem-cell research, Father deLadurantaye said Catholics should not only approach the issue from a religious perspective, but also from the natural law perspective. Civil laws are written to protect people once they are born, and medical students are taught that their first responsibility is to do no harm.

But as Catholic educators, he said, there is another dimension.

"Human life is a gift. Because it is a gift, it is sacred. We came forth from the hand of God and it is to God Himself that our lives are directed," he said.

In the quest to cure diseases that destroy cells, research recently has turned to stem cells. These essentially blank cells have the potential to change and become tissue cells, blood cells, etc.

Because stem cells harvested from embryos are more flexible and are potentially immortal in a lab setting because they can continue to replicate, many scientists and researchers prefer to use embryonic cells instead of adult cells, Father deLadurantaye said. However, adult stem cells can be found in established tissues and although they are not totipotent — able to grow in any way — they are pluripotent and still very adaptable. Adult stem cells are also less likely to be rejected by a person’s immune system because his or her own stem cells can be adapted and reintroduced to their body. Adult stem cells are also less likely to continue growing and cause tumors or cancer.

Adult stem-cell therapy has already helped many people overcome cancer and similar diseases. There have not been any such victories for embryonic stem cells as they have not yet been used for any clinical purposes.

"When you hear all the hype, all the promises, it is important to keep in mind that no person has been helped by the injection of embryonic stem cells," Father deLadurantaye said.

But the Church does not stand in the way of technology and medical advancement. It is only the harvesting of embryonic stem cells that the Church is against. Stem-cell research is not objectionable if the cells are harvest from umbilical cord blood, placentas or adults. Embryonic germ-cell research is also acceptable in cases of miscarriage. Instead of opposing medical research, Catholics are simply asking that research preserve and promote life by not abusing it.

"It is not a matter of faith, but a matter of science," Father deLadurantaye said. "Embryos have the same genetic code as you and I have. It is not really a matter of religious belief as to when an embryo becomes a human being, it is simple biology."

While it may be tempting for some to think it is worthwhile to sacrifice the lives of embryos to cure cancer, "a good end does not justify an immoral means," Father deLadurantaye said. "We ought not get into the business of using others for the benefit of ourselves."

Lessons on stem-cell research will be worked into the curriculum at Catholic schools in the diocese next month.

Teachers had the opportunity to learn more about a variety of topics, from Catholic families to Virginia patriots, in more specialized break-out sessions at the institute. These smaller groups focused on particular subjects and topics and provided teachers the chance to learn from each other’s experiences.

"There are always very good workshops," said Maureen Guilfoyle, a teacher at St. Patrick School in Fredericksburg. Following the keynote speech on stem-cell research, she said, "I feel better informed, particularly as a Catholic."

Her co-worker Deborah Walsh said that the institute is not only an opportunity for learning, but also a chance to meet and catch up with other Catholic educators.

The day ended with Mass celebrated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde.