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The Catholic Diocese of Richmond is encouraging area parishes and schools to divert donations to medical research related to the ALS Association Ice Bucket Challenge to entities that do not support embryonic stem cell research.

A letter to 146 parishes Tuesday urged Catholics to donate instead to John Paul II Medical Research Institute if they participate in the challenge.

The diocese also sent a reminder of its policy related to the controversial research to the 29 Catholic schools in its jurisdiction last week.

“Because it involves the destruction of human life, embryonic stem cell research is contrary to the moral teaching of the Catholic Church, which upholds the dignity of human life at every stage of development,” the diocese said in the statement to parishes.

An embryo must be destroyed before stem cells can be obtained. Catholic teaching likens the process to abortion.

The John Paul II Medical Research Institute website says it uses adult stem cells for its research, bypassing the ethical controversy.

Most of the studies funded by the ALS Association use adult stem cell research, but the association has acknowledged one study it funds that involves embryonic stem cell research.