Dear Nancy —

Thanks for patiently waiting for an answer to this question; it is appreciated. This is an important question, and I'm glad you asked it. It deserves to be discussed.

First of all, we want to acknowledge the horror of this situation and the tragedy it represents. Rape of a child is a horrific crime. I can only imagine the heart-wrenching suffering that this child and her family are going through. People in this situation deserve our deepest compassion and sympathy, in addition to our prayers. The girl is innocent and the victim of a horrific act and needs to recognize that.

As far as I know, the Catholic Church has not directly addressed this particular situation (i.e., rape of a newly-pubescent girl), leaving it to be covered by general principles, which I shall outline below. Our goal is to love both the girl and the child, as the Church values the lives of them both. So the Church would expect the parents to focus on trying to save the lives of both of them; if death occurs as an unintended side-effect of treatment, then that's acceptable, but we can never kill an innocent person to accomplish a good thing — in fact, it is a firm principle of Catholic moral theology that we may never do what is evil that good may result (the ends do not justify the means).

We know from science that a new innocent human life, with its own distinct DNA, is created at conception. That human being is not to be blamed for the rape it was conceived and can live a happy and fulfilling life. Here is a story:

• Kathy Barnette for U.S. Senate.
  

of a woman whose mother was raped and gave birth at 12 years old, who is quite grateful that her mother chose life. There are many other people, including very famous ones, who were conceived in rape and went on to live satisfying lives. People conceived in rape have as much value as the rest of us, and we have no right to deprive them of life.

Another piece about a girl of this age successfully and safely giving birth is

• 9-year-old gives birth to baby girl in Mexico by Gabrielle Levy, UPI.com
  

But obviously, this is a very difficult situation, not just emotionally, but medically. A good pro-life doctor can provide advice. Perhaps the child could be delivered after viability and before it becomes an imminent danger to the girl; children of very low gestational age have lived. Here is a baby that lived at 29 weeks:

• faithHUB: Our 14.5 Ounce Baby Girl, With Less Than A 20% Chance Of Survival, Lived. She Made It. She Survived.
  

ChatGPT identifies someone who survived at 21 weeks, but I haven't verified this. As long as the intent is not to kill the baby, all options are on the table. 

Yes, we acknowledge that giving birth will involve suffering. But suffering can bring out the love and compassion in other people and bond family members together. There are untold stories of how weathering adversity has enriched people's lives.

In Catholicism, suffering is redemptive and, if we accept and allow it for a higher purpose, conforms us to God and contributes to our growth in love and holiness. There are risks of suffering with an abortion; not just dire spiritual consequences, but long-term emotional and even physical and psychological trauma. Aborting the child, the quick and easy solution, does not ease or resolve the rape trauma but only compounds it.

A Saint we can invoke to help either understand this or give us the strength to make the right decision is St. Gianna Beretta Molla. {Vatican (.va)} She was an Italian physician who lived from 1922 to 1962. St. Gianna's story is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the sanctity of human life. What she did was not required by Catholic moral teaching (otherwise, it wouldn't have been heroic virtue), but she can sympathize with the difficult decision of the subject matter and intercede for us.

In 1961, while pregnant with her fourth child, St. Gianna was diagnosed with a tumor in her uterus. Her doctors presented her with two options:

1. to undergo a procedure that would save her life but result in the termination of her pregnancy or
2. to risk her own life by choosing a surgery that would allow her baby to live.

Despite the immense danger to her own health, St. Gianna chose the latter option, firmly affirming her belief in the value of every human life.

Tragically, St. Gianna passed away on April 28, 1962, one week after giving birth to her daughter, Gianna Emanuela. Her courageous decision to sacrifice her own life for the sake of her child's life inspired countless people around the world.

St. Gianna's example of selflessness and her unwavering commitment to the dignity of all human beings resonated deeply within the Catholic Church. Pope St. John Paul II beatified her in 1994 and canonized her as a saint on May 16, 2004. St. Gianna Beretta Molla is revered as a patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children. Her life continues to serve as a powerful reminder of the value and sanctity of all human life, and her story remains an inspiration for those faced with difficult decisions regarding the protection and preservation of life. You can hear her daughter speak here:

• The Beauty of Sainthood — Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla
  

The general moral principles involved, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church (its chief teaching document), are:

The bottom line is, choose love: choose life.  For more information, check out the article:

• Is Abortion Ever Allowed for Catholics? For a 10-Year-Old Rape Victim?

Eric