The Catholic position on abortion

A full-page ad that appeared in the June 23 edition of the Daily Herald contains serious errors in Catholic doctrine and is therefore, an intentional attempt to deceive the public into believing something that is not true.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: (2258) "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.

Also, (2270) Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. (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.

Finally, (2272) Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life.

Peter Gennuso

Schaumburg