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Why
doesn't the Pope, using his infallible power, declare the fetus as a person?
Thank you,
Bill
{ Why
doesn't the Pope, using his infallible power, declare the fetus as a person? }
John
replied:
Hi, Bill —
The Church already has stated, as
part of its infallible moral teaching,
that life begins at conception. It
further has said that from the moment
of conception there is, not only
biological life, but a soul as well,
thus there is a person in the womb.
The pope has reiterated this fact
many times over. It is not necessary
for the Pope to issue an ex-cathedra
when the matter is already settled
as an infallible moral teaching of
the ordinary Magisterium. (the
teaching authority of the bishops
in union with Rome.)
Further, anytime the Pope speaks
on matters of faith or, in this case,
morals, he is speaking as the universal
pastor of the Church and holds all
Catholics bound. The teaching
is protected by the Holy Spirit from
error, and is de-facto already considered
infallible.
In other words, this has already
been done many times over.
I hope this helps
John DiMascio
Bill
replied:
Hi, John —
Thanks for your e-mail reply of August
31, but something doesn't compute.
First, When the Pope traveled the
United States back in the 90's, the
official Catholic spokesperson for
the T.V. coverage, a nun, was asked
directly, by the anchor, why didn't
the Pope call abortion, murder. Her
answer was:
There is no Biblical reference
to the unborn as persons and therefore,
the Pope couldn't, and consequently,
he uses the phrase "respect for
life".
Second, I've never heard the Pope
or any official pro-life Catholic
spokesperson since, say that abortion
is murder but constantly refer to
the "respect for life" phrase.
While, I don't disagree with abortion
being murder, I still maintain that
the official position of the Church
is as above, and I am trying to nail
it down.
Thank you,
Bill
John
replied:
Hi, Bill —
I'd like to know what the source
of your quote is.
Which T.V. anchor?
Which network and how much of
the interview was edited out?
But let's get back to the question.
If you have a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
you will find an entire section on
abortion in the morality section:
The Ten Commandments — specifically
under the fifth Commandment : "You
shall not kill".
These are those paragraphs 2270 through 2275 from
the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2270 Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae I, 1)
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. ( Psalm 139:15)
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes. (Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes 51 § 3)
2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," (Code of Canon Law, Canon 1398) "by the very commission of the offense," (Code of Canon Law, Canon 1314) and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. (cf. Code of Canon Law, Canons 1323-1324) The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.
2273 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:
"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being's right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae III)
"The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . . . As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child's rights." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae III)
2274 Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being.
Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit, "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual. . . . It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae I, 2)
2275 "One must hold as licit procedures carried out on the human embryo which respect the life and integrity of the embryo and do not involve disproportionate risks for it, but are directed toward its healing the improvement of its condition of health, or its individual survival." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae I, 3)
"It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material." (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae I, 5)
"Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities. Such manipulations are contrary to the personal dignity of the human being and his integrity and identity" (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae I, 6) which are unique and unrepeatable.
I suggest that you read the entire
section to get the
entire context. However, just
from these excerpts we see that the
fetus, the Latin word meaning offspring,
is referred to as an human being,
an individual, and a person.
The Catechism contains the ordinary
and extraordinary moral teaching
of the Church. As I said in my previous
reply, both of these are to be held
as infallible by Catholics.
The position of the Church is quite
clear.
Having said that, in the past
several decades, the Church has adopted
a language which emphasize the positive
rather than the negative. In other
words, She uses the phrases "Respect
for Life" or "Pro-Life" as
opposed to anti-abortion. This is
in keeping with Christ's approach
in the Beatitudes, which expound
on positive aspects of the prohibitions
found in the Ten Commandments.
Now, if I had my way, the Church
would be a bit harsher in its pronouncements
against politicians, abortion providers,
etc. By definition, those who support
and promote abortion are excommunicated
without the need of a declaration.
I wish the Church would go further
and declare, in a big public way,
the excommunication of all Catholics
who support legalized abortion. I
wish she would also specify those
politicians who publicly vote for
or otherwise give support to abortion.
This would send a stronger message.
However, the fetus has already been
defined as a person.
A declaration by the Pope, as such,
would reinforce this, but it would
not add anything to the already existing
infallible teaching.
Finally, if you don't own a copy
of the Catechism, I suggest you get one. It is one of the best source
documents available.
Thanks,
John DiMascio
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