S
Catholic Bioethics Center examines Connecticut Plan B legislation, HLI calls for reversal of bishops’ decision
- Status
S
Scotty_PGH
Guest
May God Almighty have mercy on their souls.
S
Scotty_PGH
Guest
The Church has repeatedly stated in the clearest terms possible, that anyone who assists an abortion ***in any way ***is automatically excommunicated.
This is an incredibly grave development.
This is an incredibly grave development.
S
Scotty_PGH
Guest
That is what the apologists and prevaricators will claim. I can only look at it like this: The result of the woman taking this pill is contraception.
Ask yourself this: If the same bishops objected to this procedure a day ago because they considered it a “chemical abortion,” how can this objection be withdrawn the next day?
S
skeetor
Guest
This pill kills the baby by not letting it implant in the womb. Just thank Archbishop Mansell, who is also the chairman of Saint Francis’(catholic hospital) board of directors in Hartford, for this horrible decision.
Decisions like this definately dent one’s Hope.
Decisions like this definately dent one’s Hope.
C
consumedconvert
Guest
It would, if our hope rests in bishops. Our hope rests in their Boss.
The Church has seen bad times and bad decisions before; but God will prevail.
M
Mannyfit75
Guest
HA
Can someone explain why the bishops of Connecticut did this? According to the article the Church it says,
“the state of existing science and the lack of definitive teaching by the church and the fact that there are many who are affiliated with the church that believe the ovulation test isn’t necessary.”
The last time I check the Humanae Vitae doesn’t condone the use of contraception.
Source: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_re_us/morning_after_pill;_ylt=AmZMQxhm5PzYjm67fBeMNq07Xs8F
Can someone explain why the bishops of Connecticut did this? According to the article the Church it says,
“the state of existing science and the lack of definitive teaching by the church and the fact that there are many who are affiliated with the church that believe the ovulation test isn’t necessary.”
The last time I check the Humanae Vitae doesn’t condone the use of contraception.
1
1ke
Guest
Plan B in the context of rape is not contraception, it self defense against the attacker. Catholic teaching has consistently held that a woman may defend herself against an attacker and possible pregnancy.
She may not abort a conceived child, of course.
Yes, there is much controversy over the mechanisms of Plan B. And, the statement is correct-- the Church has not *definitively *ruled on this subject.
G
Godi
Guest
We have got some real humdingers for Bishops. They must the from the Order of Judas Iscariot.
P
Petergee
Guest
Incredible and utterly sickening. I never thought I would see the day when Catholic bishops would direct Catholic hospitals to perform chemical abortions.
And apparently on the grounds that, although in many if not most cases the drug “works” by causing abortion, it’s difficult to be certain in an individual case whether the drug will cause an abortion or “only” contraception. What happened to the “deerhunter principle”?
I pray to God that the Holy See prompty overrules these shockingly delinquent bishops. God help Connecticut.
And apparently on the grounds that, although in many if not most cases the drug “works” by causing abortion, it’s difficult to be certain in an individual case whether the drug will cause an abortion or “only” contraception. What happened to the “deerhunter principle”?
I pray to God that the Holy See prompty overrules these shockingly delinquent bishops. God help Connecticut.
R
Rawb
Guest
What attacker? The innocent baby that has no say in how it was concieved? At that point the attack has happened, conception has probably taken place, right? So what’s the difference between using Plan B and getting an abortion after rape, or instructing Catholic Women to take The Pill as a precaution against rape at all times every day?
I don’t see much a difference here.
R
rwoehmke
Guest
Every rape does not result in conception. No doubt though some of them do. I guess the question would be how rapidly after a rape does conception occur if that ovum is on its way down the fallopian tube right then and those sperms are swimming like mad upstream? Minutes? Hours? Probably not days.
J
JKirkLVNV
Guest
If this is so, then it won’t last long (unless the bishops in Connecticut go into schism). In allowing this, the bishops themselves would be guilty of helping someone to procure an abortion and would be excommunicated *latae sentia, *wouldn’t they? The Pope isn’t going to allow excommunicate bishops to continue to exercise authority over Christ’s flock…and he isn’t going to allow a Catholic hospital to offer abortions.
I
irenaeus1
Guest
The article states, “Plan B can lower the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The drug works by stopping ovulation and has no effect on an existing pregnancy.”
Is this true? If it is, then it is not an abortifacient.
Is this true? If it is, then it is not an abortifacient.
P
Petergee
Guest
No it’s not true, it’s pure sophistry intended to sell the product. They have attempted to redefine “an existing pregnancy” to mean “a baby who had previously implanted him/herself onto the wall of the womb”, rather than “a baby who has already been conceived (through union of his/her mother’s ovum cell and his/her father’s sperm cell)”. This product aborts babies by making the womb wall a hostile environment so that the baby cannot implant him/herself and dies of hunger and thirst.
G
Grace283
Guest
“Roman Catholics believe that life begins at conception. While the medical rules for Catholic hospitals make an exception and allow them to distribute Plan B to rape victims, Hartford Archbishop Henry J. Mansell directed the Connecticut Catholic hospitals not to prescribe it if a woman was ovulating or her egg had been fertilized.” - ABC article
Instead of calling the Bishops names or anything first… We need to pray for them, for the women of rape, and for the men that commit rape…
Lord, cleanse this earth with your fiery love…
Instead of calling the Bishops names or anything first… We need to pray for them, for the women of rape, and for the men that commit rape…
Lord, cleanse this earth with your fiery love…
P
Petergee
Guest
That was his earlier position. The article is about the fact that he and the other bishops have now changed their position to
Being called names is the least they have to worry about. As mentioned, by facilitating abortions they have incurred *latae sententiae * (automatic) excommunication from the Catholic Church.
They compound this atrocious behaviour with the preposterous excuse “since the teaching authority of the church has not definitively resolved this matter and since there is serious doubt about how Plan B pills work”. The Holy See does not make individual pronouncements about the immorality of every individual brand of every type of abortifacient in every country. Abortion is always a grievious sin, no matter how it is procured.
K
kitkatty
Guest
I pray you are right, I was very upset when I heard this and was wondering how bishops in Connecticut could go against what the Church says. I can`t see how this could be ignored by the Vatican.
1
1ke
Guest
The attacker is the rapist, and I did not say the woman had any right to do anything to a conceived child, should conception occur.
No, not at all. The odds are infinitely small that she would actually have just ovulated. If the rape occurs during the pre-ovulatory phase EC can delay ovulation until after the sperm die (they can live about 5 days in fertile mucus). If rape occurs more than 24 hours after ovulation, the viability of the egg is past.
So, it is morally licit if she has not yet ovulated. The difficulty comes in determining whether she has ovulated as that is not an exact science.
The difference is that an abortion kills a conceived child.
A single, chaste woman would certainly be free to do so, although there are many who would advise against pumping one’s body full of hormones on the off chance an attack could occur.
There is definitely a difference. And, the Church has not ruled *definitively *in this area so the Bishops are within their authority to do as they have done. Remember, it took the Church over a decade to rule definitively on conception techniques such as IVF. I am sure the Church will clarify this at some point and then it will be settled.
My *personal *opinion is that it’s too difficult to determine ovulation unless you do an ultrasound. And, even then it’s not exact.
1
1ke
Guest
And, the second question is if ovulation is occuring or has just occurred, and the endometrium is already established, could EC really alter the endometrium to the point of inhibiting implantation in such a *short *time. The pill alters the endometrium, but that is by long term action not by one dose.
Not a scientist here, so I don’t know the answer to that. I think it’s really inconclusive in this area as far as research/study goes.
- Status