The New York Times today reports: VATICAN CITY — The Vatican issued the most authoritative and sweeping document on bioethical issues in 20 years on Friday, taking into account recent developments in biomedical technology and reinforcing the church’s opposition to in vitro fertilization, human cloning, genetic testing on embryos before implantation and embryonic stem cell research.

“The majority of Catholic voters has lined up with the winner of the popular vote in the last nine presidential elections. Don’t think this fact is lost on the 2008 presidential nominees of both major parties. As the election season moves into its critical final phase, Senators John McCain and Barack Obama continue their battle for the crucial Catholic swing vote in the pages of the October issue of U.S. Catholic magazine.”

Full story here.