Have I had abortions?

[JoyToTheWhirled]

I know it seems an odd question to ask, but it’s beginning to bother my conscience. When I was younger, I used the morning after pill as contraception rather a lot. Does this mean I have had abortions? It’s never occurred to me before coming across Catholic teaching on contraception and abortion and now I am really worried. I’m currently going through RCIA and vaguely remember abortion something that has to have a special dispensation to be forgiven in confession. I may have that wrong but I am completely in a panic now.

 

[Reuben_J]

I know it seems an odd question to ask, but it’s beginning to bother my conscience. When I was younger, I used the morning after pill as contraception rather a lot. Does this mean I have had abortions? It’s never occurred to me before coming across Catholic teaching on contraception and abortion and now I am really worried. I’m currently going through RCIA and vaguely remember abortion something that has to have a special dispensation to be forgiven in confession. I may have that wrong but I am completely in a panic now.

This is a topic for pro-life people who will be able to give you a more authorative explanation.

Generally speaking, morning after pill is just another aspect of artificial birth control (ABC) and you’re right, it is prohibited by the Church. Theoretically it can be like an abortion if you had conception because the pill would abort the forming embryo albeit at it early formation but practically it is not, since you did not do it purposely. More over you would not know whether you were pregnant or not at that stage.

You should not be too troubled by it now as when you practiced it, you did not know, so please do not panic. Besides, it is something in the past. Just regard it as a mistake which you did not know any better then.

Going through the RCIA with an intention for baptism, you already have baptism by desire. In baptism all your sins and original sin will be forgiven, wiped away cleaned.

You will only confess abortion if it is committed after baptism, and yes, you have to have a dispensation but not to worry, it can be done during Confession. More specifically, our Holy Father, Pope Francis has allowed priests to absolve women who have procured abortions since the beginning of the year of Mercy.

Just remember that nothing, no sin, (except the sin of against the Holy Spirit, of not believing that God can forgive us) that God cannot forgive.

May God bless you in your journey.

 

[e_c]

If you aren’t baptized, then none of this is “relevant” after baptism - it is gone.

If you are to make a confession before reception into the Church, then mention this to the priest. A few items to consider:

1. Every priest who has “faculties” (permission to hear confessions regularly, as distinct from hearing them in some life and death emergency) is able to absolve a person from the sin of abortion. There is, unfortunately, much confusion on the point, because there is also a “censure” (penalty) on the “crime of abortion,” as distinct from the “sin of abortion.” This penalty is excommunication.
2. Basically every priest nowadays (in America at least) - especially given the apparent intention of Pope Francis for the Jubilee of Mercy - has the ability to lift the sanction in addition to absolving the sin.
3. If you are not baptized, then you can’t be excommunicated from the Church. Now, if you are a revert or convert, having already been baptized, then that is a different matter.
4. It is reeeeeally hard - almost impossible - for a woman seeking an abortion to incur this penalty, unless perhaps it is out of spite for God or some such malice. See all the qualifications here:

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4W.HTM

1. Having no idea that emergency contraceptive pills have the capacity to abort a newly conceived child means that their use would not morally rise to the level of abortion. Perhaps there is some guilt beyond normal contraception, in that a person may have some kind of obligation to know about what kind of pill she is ingesting and what it can do, but that is a separate matter. This would be something that should be mentioned in confession, if that is the path you are heading down. Your confessor should immediately understand the situation.

There is just no way you have incurred the sanction, even if you are already baptized, as far as I can tell.

You seem very contrite and horrified by what you have done, with no intention of doing it again on account of the love of God. That makes for repentance! God is not going to hold it against you, provided you take it to the confessional (if necessary). If you are to be baptized, then it will be gone. Or when you make your confession, it will be gone. And in some way it is already gone, because you have repented of it, which is the core element!

 

[pianistclare]

I know it seems an odd question to ask, but it’s beginning to bother my conscience. When I was younger, I used the morning after pill as contraception rather a lot. Does this mean I have had abortions? It’s never occurred to me before coming across Catholic teaching on contraception and abortion and now I am really worried. I’m currently going through RCIA and vaguely remember abortion something that has to have a special dispensation to be forgiven in confession. I may have that wrong but I am completely in a panic now.

Just speak to your priest. This is a common thing , he can address it more fully.
Don’t panic. That;s what they are there fro. To HELP.

 

[GEddie]

If you have to ask, you aren’t guilty.

Just confess, and “go and sin no more.”

ICXC NIKA

 

[DeniseNY]

You’ve already received the best advice here that you can. Go to confession and talk to your pastor. He will guide you.

 

[tawny]

This is better discussed with a Priest who is best qualified to give correct information & not people on the internet. Feel free to speak with Priest, you are not going to be telling him anything he has not heard before. Welcome home. God bless you on your RCIA journey.

 

[Memaw]

I know it seems an odd question to ask, but it’s beginning to bother my conscience. When I was younger, I used the morning after pill as contraception rather a lot. Does this mean I have had abortions? It’s never occurred to me before coming across Catholic teaching on contraception and abortion and now I am really worried. I’m currently going through RCIA and vaguely remember abortion something that has to have a special dispensation to be forgiven in confession. I may have that wrong but I am completely in a panic now.

There is no way of knowing for sure, just talk to a priest and he will help you!! God Bless and welcome Home. Memaw

 

[JoyToTheWhirled]

Thank you all for your helpful and compassionate advice. I know in my head I can speak to my priest, but this was one of those moments of blind panic and complete ignorance on my part, and CAF is a blessed and useful place to calm fears that are due to someone being an ignoramus about Catholicism! I will definitely bring this up with my priest.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

First off, the so-called. “Morning After Pill,” is not an abortion pill, per the manufacturer.

It does not prevent a fertilized egg from implanting, but prevents conception.

It was during the Bush administration when the pill was called an abortion pill, but it wasn’t how the manufacturer described it’s function in their documentation.

That being said, sex outside of marriage and contraception are grave and confession is your path for healing in these things.

This article will explain the latest on the Morning After Pill

ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecabt.html

As other’s have said, talk with a priest.

God Bless
Jim

 

[LiamQ]

I will definitely bring this up with my priest.

I have experienced blind panic many times myself about various things, and have always found our priests to be absolutely wonderful to speak to. The evil spirit is ever at work, trying to stir our hearts into fear.

 

[CB_Catholic]

First off, the so-called. “Morning After Pill,” is not an abortion pill, per the manufacturer.

It does not prevent a fertilized egg from implanting, but prevents conception.

It was during the Bush administration when the pill was called an abortion pill, but it wasn’t how the manufacturer described it’s function in their documentation.

That being said, sex outside of marriage and contraception are grave and confession is your path for healing in these things.

This article will explain the latest on the Morning After Pill

ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecabt.html

As other’s have said, talk with a priest.

God Bless
Jim

Please read the article carefully again. It does not prevent conception (the sperm fertilizing the egg). It prevents pregnancy, which is defined, according to the article, as occurring with implantation of the fertilized egg. Catholic teaching is that life begins at conception, not implantation. According to the article, implantation occurs 5-7 days after an egg is fertilized.
So fertilized eggs cannot implant when the “morning after” pill is used. That is why this pill is considered abortive by Catholics–we believe life begins at fertilization.

But the young lady should not stress over this–she was at the least unaware of how the pill worked, is repentant, and God’s forgiveness is unconditional. Yes, she should talk to a priest to ease her mind.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Please read the article carefully again. It does not prevent conception (the sperm fertilizing the egg). It prevents pregnancy, which is defined, according to the article, as occurring with implantation of the fertilized egg. Catholic teaching is that life begins at conception, not implantation. According to the article, implantation occurs 5-7 days after an egg is fertilized.
So fertilized eggs cannot implant when the “morning after” pill is used. That is why this pill is considered abortive by Catholics–we believe life begins at fertilization.

But the young lady should not stress over this–she was at the least unaware of how the pill worked, is repentant, and God’s forgiveness is unconditional. Yes, she should talk to a priest to ease her mind.

I did and here’s another;

Investigation reveals morning-after pill may not prevent implantation

Despite the fact that labels - and several institutions like the National Institute of Health and the Federal Drug Administration - claim that Plan B and other similar pills can work by blocking a fertilized egg from implanting in a woman’s uterus, studies have shown that the medication does not function in that manner. Especially since Mitt Romney referred to the drugs as “abortion pills” and women’s reproductive rights are a hot-button issue this election, changing this language to reflect what science has shown could effectively alter the discussion.

“I would be relieved if it doesn’t have this effect,” Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said to the New York Times. “So far what I see is an unresolved debate and some studies on both sides.”

Researchers have shown that the way that the morning-after pill works is by delaying ovulation. While it may be nearly impossible to prove without a doubt that these pills don’t stop fertilized eggs from attaching, studies overwhelmingly reveal that they don’t have that effect, the New York Times wrote.

What scientists on both sides of the debate agree on with confidence is that one of the effects of the pills is that they can delay ovulation up to five days after sex, so sperm would not be able to fertilize any eggs. But, many proponents of removing the “abortion” definition from the pill’s description claim that is all they do.

cbsnews.com/news/investigation-reveals-morning-after-pill-may-not-prevent-implantation/

If the pill doesn’t stop a fertilized egg from implanting, but stops ovulation, then it is not an abortifacient, but a contraceptive.

The fact that there is ignorance on the issue, would mean that a mortal sin was not committed, for “Full Knowledge,” is one of the requirements.

Jim

 

[Rosebud77]

What is serious is that apparently women, especially young ones, are taking these meds in total ignorance of what they in fact do.

And they are being prescribed or bought without the facts being given? Or the dangers of side effects?

And according to posts here different articles say different things?

 

[CB_Catholic]

I did and here’s another;

If the pill doesn’t stop a fertilized egg from implanting, but stops ovulation, then it is not an abortifacient, but a contraceptive.

The fact that there is ignorance on the issue, would mean that a mortal sin was not committed, for “Full Knowledge,” is one of the requirements.

Jim

I understand, but I was referring to the article you posted first. So we have two different articles reaching two different conclusions. One saying it allows fertilization, but not implantation, another says it suppresses ovulation. That is not helpful. But I am in total agreement that the young lady did not have full knowledge and could not be held accountable for abortion.