In the past few months, more and more people have become aware of how religious thought can be brushed aside. In the “anti-vax” argument, most people don’t consider that there may be a reason behind religious or even moral objection to the vaccines on the current market. People asking for religious exemption have largely been ignored all around. Many within the Church herself don’t understand why so many would risk their livelihood by just getting the shot. Do they not care?
Yes, in fact, they do care. That is why they object so strongly. The basis of their objection for religious purposes is that these particular shots were either derived out of research done on the cell lines of aborted babies to find a way to use this new technology; or they actually used the cells that grew from aborted babies in the actual vaccine. You can find this information on the website; https://cogforlife.org/guidance/. Here is a quick break down as to which shots have ties to babies that were killed in abortion.
- Johnson and Johnson: Uses cells made from an aborted baby’s cells in the shot (For all practical purposes, that baby is HEK-293).
- Pfizer: Developed the shot from research on cells made from an aborted baby’s cells, it is unknown if the cells made from the aborted baby are actually put into the shot.
- Moderna: Developed the shot from research on cells made from the cells of aborted babies. They do not use the cells made from the aborted baby in the shot.
- Astra-Zenica: Developed the shot from research on cells made from aborted babies. They contain cells made from the cells of aborted babies.
- Novavax (yet to be approved): There have been some tests done on cells made from an aborted baby’s cells.
In all of these examples, you see that there are no developments being made or researched without the use of cells collected from aborted babies in some manner or fashion.
You can imagine the horror of so many people who would rather die than live based on the slaughter of another human being, let alone an infant. But what do we do with this? Are we committing a mortal sin if we take the shot? Pope Francis has said that “one may take the shot and not commit a mortal sin.” The reasoning for this statement comes from the National Catholic Bioethics Center. They consult the bishops of the United States. A person taking the shot did not kill the baby. In most cases used in these shots, the actual abortion happened around 1970. They would term that as a remote approximation of the event of the abortion. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this would fall into a venial sin. Only in the most extreme circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, would it be okay to receive the shot. Trying to be responsible within the context of society is a noble thing. Yet at the same time, the Church and our Pope have strongly stated that we must let the almighty powers know that such a proposition to humanity is utterly unacceptable.
To do this, those who have rejected to take the shot are making a statement. For those who have taken the shot, support those who use their freedom to make such a sacrifice. To say one may receive the shot is not the same as saying one must take the shot. We all need to support one another as a people of life and for life. We all have our reasons for our decisions and each person has an accounting for their actions before God.
Science is imperfect knowledge, and we are always learning more. Rumors come and go, but as Catholics, we always stand for life and the dignity of every human being. We especially pride ourselves in the fact that we stand up for the most vulnerable. Today, the most vulnerable are the babies living in the womb of their mothers. Together, we can make this situation a unifying force in the Catholic Church. If we take the time to understand each other, we can finally come together in the issues of life. In solidarity with the youngest of the young, abortion would finally be aborted.
Father Barr
Please use this link to find out more about the vaccinations and conscience: https://cogforlife.org/guidance/.
Catechism on Conscience, Paragraph #1782, “Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. “He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.”
Vatican II; Gaudium et Spes, Paragraph #16, “In the depths of his conscience, man detects a law which he does not impose upon himself, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that. For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor. In fidelity to conscience, Christians are joined with the rest of men in the search for truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerous problems which arise in the life of individuals from social relationships. Hence the more right conscience holds sway, the more persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and strive to be guided by the objective norms of morality. Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance without losing its dignity. The same cannot be said for a man who cares but little for truth and goodness, or for a conscience which by degrees grows practically sightless as a result of habitual sin.”