PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A local mother and event host is without a venue after a Dunedin church said she couldn't use their event space because of her history of using in vitro fertilization or IVF.
The church is legally allowed to drop the event, but Katy Rey wanted to share her story to help others in a similar situation.
"I am an infertile female, and I went through in vitro fertilization to have my children, and she said the church is against that," she said.
Rey, a mother of three, was getting ready to host her annual event called "Celebrate You" at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin.
The event aims to celebrate life’s accomplishments all while highlighting local businesses and nonprofits.
Last year, the event was held at Our Lady of Lourdes, and that was the plan for this year as well. Rey said she put the money down and signed the contract, but all of a sudden, the church pulled out.
“I received an email that said we can no longer accommodate,” Rey said.
She's very vocal online about her journey to have children through IVF.
“I was just really taken aback. I was like, wow, and I started defending my children. I'm like, are you telling me they’re a mistake?“ Rey said.
ABC Action News called the church several times over a span of two weeks but never got a callback.
The Diocese of St. Petersburg explained that the Catholic Church doesn't support IVF. They referred us to an article that reads in part, "One reproductive technology which the Church has clearly and unequivocally judged to be immoral is in vitro fertilization or IVF.”
Click here for the full article.
The church is legally within its rights to decline the event and return Rey’s money.
Rey does not plan to take legal action, but she said she wanted to share her story so other women who have gone through IVF know they are not alone.
