What is the Catholic church standpoint regarding Abortion?

Question

The Catholic Church has always condemned abortion as a grave evil. Christian writers from the first-century author of the Didache to Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life") have maintained that the Bible forbids abortion, just as it forbids murder. This tract will provide some examples of this consistent witness from the writings of the Fathers of the Church. 

As the early Christian writer Tertullian pointed out, the law of Moses ordered strict penalties for causing an abortion. We read, "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [Hebrew: "so that her child comes out"], but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" (Ex. 21:22–24). 

This applies the lex talionis or "law of retribution" to abortion. The lex talionis establishes the just punishment for an injury (eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life, compared to the much greater retributions that had been common before, such as life for eye, life for tooth, lives of the offender’s family for one life). 

The lex talionis would already have been applied to a woman who was injured in a fight. The distinguishing point in this passage is that a pregnant woman is hurt "so that her child comes out"; the child is the focus of the lex talionis in this passage. Aborted babies must have justice, too. 

This is because they, like older children, have souls, even though marred by original sin. David tells us, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Ps. 51:5, NIV). Since sinfulness is a spiritual rather than a physical condition, David must have had a spiritual nature from the time of conception. 

The same is shown in James 2:26, which tells us that "the body without the spirit is dead": The soul is the life-principle of the human body. Since from the time of conception the child’s body is alive (as shown by the fact it is growing), the child’s body must already have its spirit. 

Thus, in 1995 Pope John Paul II declared that the Church’s teaching on abortion "is unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors . . . I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal magisterium. No circumstance, no purpose, no law whatsoever can ever make licit an act which is intrinsically illicit, since it is contrary to the law of God which is written in every human heart, knowable by reason itself, and proclaimed by the Church" (Evangelium Vitae 62). 

The early Church Fathers agreed. Fortunately, abortion, like all sins, is forgivable; and forgiveness is as close as the nearest confessional.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

against ,always&4ever  but i am 2&it has nothing 2do with religion  iwas told by docs i couldnt have kids but i do have one 1beautiful girl 7 years old sure i had a cesarean to have her but she was alive &somewhat healthy _ low blood& low blood sugars

Anonymous · Answer

may I share with you from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

"Abortion" 

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.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you."

"My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth."

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: You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.

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.

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," "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.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art5.htm

? · Answer

<> i think of a few could bounce to that end via fact they already think of that beginning administration is advantageous. yet as a expert-life Catholic who defends the pro-life, no-birth control place, i do no longer agree that the overpowering majority will end that. Abortion supporters consistently (devoid of exception) play the "rape & incest" card or the mummy's life is in threat via fact the commencing place for their place on abortion. Many nominal Catholics who're mildly professional-life or perhaps professional-selection will settle for that as a lifelike desire for abortion. The pamphlet you quote from tells us that this heavily isn't the case. In different words maximum persons females don't have abortions via fact of rape, incest or life endangerment, maximum have them for convenience. to anticipate hence, that greater beginning administration may well be the respond is to no longer take the reasoning far adequate. fifty 4% of females who seek for abortions report utilising birth control (pill or condom) interior the month they became pregnant. 40 six% did no longer use any birth control. So, while the pamphlet says abortion is used as beginning administration, it skill that the females in seek of abortions have not the different reason for that abortion than they do no longer desire a toddler. hence they're utilising as beginning administration. via fact maximum persons of females who've abortions are already utilising birth control, greater birth control would not be a logical end.

? · Answer

All life is a gift from God and should be treated as such

Anonymous · Answer

they are against it

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What is the Catholic church standpoint regarding Abortion?

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