The Catholic Church teaches that innocent human life must be protected from conception through natural death. Therefore, abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research are always evil and never morally acceptable. The Catechism teaches:
"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." (CCC 2258)
Referring to abortion in particular, the Catechism states:
"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. 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," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. 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.
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."
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.
"It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material. 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" which are unique and unrepeatable.” (CCC 2270-75)
Since 1973, when the United States Supreme Court made abortion legal in all 50 states, more than 45 million innocent Americans have been killed by this procedure. Currently, approximately 1.2 million Americans die every year from abortion. That's over 3,000 per day. In other words, more Americans die each year from abortion than died in the Civil War, World War I, and World War II combined. The Church also teaches that capital punishment is immoral except in very rare circumstances; in 2007, 42 Americans were executed.
The Catechism likewise condemns EUTHANASIA as immoral:
“Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible. Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.” (CCC 2276-77)
The Church has always taught that using artificial contraceptives, even in marriage, is gravely sinful. This teaching was reaffirmed by Pope Paul VI in his encyclical Humanae Vitae. However, the Church does not condemn the use of natural methods to regulate procreation. The Catechism explains:
“Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as.an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically.evil . . . .” (CCC 2370)
Resources: Pro-Life
Pregnant Women Needing Help:
Loreto House
http://loretohouse.org
Call 1-877-283-6279 for free support
Women Suffering from Abortion:
Rachel's Vineyard Ministries
http://www.rachelsvineyard.org
Information on Natural Family Planning:
http://www.natural-family-planning-works.com/catholic-natural-family-planning.html
Couple to Couple League:
http://www.ccli.org
Other Resources:
Catechism of the Catholic Church
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text
Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas
http://www.prolifedallas.org/
Catholics Respect Life
http://www.catholicrespectlife.org
Call 1-800-545-5935 for free counseling.
The Gospel of Life
http://www.gospeloflife.com
Humanae Vitae
http://www.wf-f.org/HumVitae.html
Priests for Life
http://www.priestsforlife.org
Conference of Catholic Bishops--Pro Life Page
http://www.usccb.org/
