When Pope Francis remarked in a speech earlier this month that surrogate motherhood was a “despicable practice” that should be universally banned, for some, it signalled a backwards step for the Catholic Church. Only weeks earlier, the global religious leader had allowed same-sex couples to finally receive the blessings of a priest. But before we write off the pope’s most recent comments, we have to ask ourselves: does he have a point? Today, surrogate and surrogacy lawyer Sarah Jefford on the ethical minefields, and joys, of surrogacy. And former religion editor and centre for public christianity’s Barney Zwartz on what we should know of the pope’s statement.Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.