Does the church allow for abortions in certain circumstances?

[ken72]

A co-worker of mine told me that the Catholic Church allows for and abortion only when there is no alternative to saving the mothers life? The example I was given was, if a mom to be is pregnant and during her pregnancy she develops a life threatening illness and her medical treatment for this illness would kill the baby, I was told a abortion is allowable? I asked for specific proof so I could see it for myself and he could provide it. If he is correct, where could I read it, or if he is wrong where can I show him the actual church teaching!

 

[LJN21]

This should answer you question.

catholic.com/thisrock/2006/0609uan.asp

 

[nicolep]

Here’s what the Catechism has to say about the matter:

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.72

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.73
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.74

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.75
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.76

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,"77 "by the very commission of the offense,"78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 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.

2273 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:

"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being’s right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death."80

"The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . . . As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child’s rights."81

2274 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."82

2275 "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."83

"It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material."84

"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"85 which are unique and unrepeatable.

I don’t see anything that allows for abortion in order to save the mother. I don’t have any “proof”, but I think it falls along the lines of not allowing one evil to prevent another.

 

[bilop]

A co-worker of mine told me that the Catholic Church allows for and abortion only when there is no alternative to saving the mothers life? The example I was given was, if a mom to be is pregnant and during her pregnancy she develops a life threatening illness and her medical treatment for this illness would kill the baby, I was told a abortion is allowable? I asked for specific proof so I could see it for myself and he could provide it. If he is correct, where could I read it, or if he is wrong where can I show him the actual church teaching!

Someone already provided the Catechism.

The answer is no to abortion (that is direct killing of the baby), in all circumstances.

If, however, the mother needs medical treatment (chemotherapy, removing a diseased organ) and the treatment will result in the death of the baby, then the treatment is morally permissible. This is because the death of the baby is an unintended consequence of the necessary treatment.

God Bless

 

[nicolep]

Someone already provided the Catechism.

The answer is no to abortion (that is direct killing of the baby), in all circumstances.

If, however, the mother needs medical treatment (chemotherapy, removing a diseased organ) and the treatment will result in the death of the baby, then the treatment is morally permissible. This is because the death of the baby is an unintended consequence of the necessary treatment.

God Bless

That is my understanding of it as well. You did a much better job of relaying it in words.

 

[Inman]

A co-worker of mine told me that the Catholic Church allows for and abortion only when there is no alternative to saving the mothers life? The example I was given was, if a mom to be is pregnant and during her pregnancy she develops a life threatening illness and her medical treatment for this illness would kill the baby, I was told a abortion is allowable? I asked for specific proof so I could see it for myself and he could provide it. If he is correct, where could I read it, or if he is wrong where can I show him the actual church teaching!

As I understand it the rules are:

Direct intended abortion is never permited, even if the abortion is intended to save the mothers life. Suppose a woman is told that due to other conditions, it would be extremely dangerous for her to carry the child to term. It would still be wrong to abort.

However, if medical treatment was necessary for the mother that had the unintended consequence of harming the baby, that is morally permissible, at least in some circumstances. Suppose a pregnant women develops cancer. She needs chemo therapy to survive. Assume, also that chemo therapy is very likely to cause a miscarriage. In that circumstance, taking the chemo therapy is not morally wrong as the purpose of the therapy is not to harm the baby, but to save the mother.

 

[Fergal]

I guess that you should read this womans life story and then see what the Church teaches.
http://www.hli.org/gianna_molla/images/main_01.jpg

hli.org/gianna_molla/