The United States through its Ambassador to the Holy See, James Nicholson, is attempting to convince the Pontifical Aca- demy of Sciences that genetically modified (GM) food plant is not just a scientific innovation but also a moral leap forward for mankind.

The United States is fighting off moral resistance to the widespread acceptance of the technology. The opposition advances the argument that GM foods have adverse effect on the environment, human health and traditional farming practices. The Vatican has yet to make up its mind on the issue amidst some opposition to GM food within the Church.

The US embassy at the Holy See was co-sponsor of the recent Gregorian University conference titled "Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Biotechnology".

Earlier this month, the Sydney-based Columban Centre for Peace and Ecology expressed concern that with the lobby continuing the US would be successful in getting the Vatican to accept the proposition the "moral imperative" of accepting that using GM foods will alleviate world hunger.

Anxious that Catholics should familiarize themselves with the issues the center circulated the contrary opinions of Irish Columban Activist Father Sean McDonagh who believes strongly that it is the US multi-nationals that stand to benefit most from GM crops.

The National Catholic Reporter’s John Allen quotes a statement from US Holy Cross Brother David Andrews executive director of the country’s National Catholic Rural Life Conference: "The Pontifical Academy of Sciences has allowed itself to be subordinated to the United States government’s insistent advocacy of biotechnology and of the companies which market it.

"Surely, among the structures of sin in the world today are agro-food corporations that steer the goods of the earth toward themselves solely for profit. If one thinks that the focus of these multi-national firms and their supporters is to cure the world hunger but this is not true."

Jesuits Roland Lessep and Peter Henriot, both experts on agriculture in the developing world–both living in Zambia. The two experts argued that the conference at the Gregorian University was based on faulty premises. Hunger, the two Jesuits said, is a problem not of production but of distribution.

"The world produces enough food , but it is not justly distributed," they wrote. "While millions suffer from hunger and malnutrition, others suffer from obesity."

Ambassador James Nicholson charged the negative forces at the conference with cultural imperialism "The worst form of cultural imperialism is to deny others the opportunities we have to take advantage of new technologies to raise up to human condition, he said.

Vatican sources told the National Catholic Reporter that an explicit statement on genetically modified crops is unlikely from the Holy See in the near future but most officials seem inclined to give it a ‘"yellow light" which means proceed with caution.

(Antonio M, Claparols is president of the Ecological Society of the Philippines and IUCN regional councilor)