Question on Abortion and Murder

[rpp]

Ok then. On another thread I said catholicism was confusing - here’s why I think that - from the thread I referred to:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4098019&postcount=215

Excommunication is not being “kicked out” of the Church.

Rather, the excommunicated person is no longer in communion (agreement) with the Church and they cannot receive Holy Communion until the excommunication is lifted. In the case of abortion, this can be done by a priest in the confessional.

Yes, certain aspects of Catholicism can seem very complicated. Often times, the Church makes subtle yet important distinctions. What is worse, the Church does seem to have her own vocabulary. For example, another name of the bishop of a diocese is “The Ordinary”.

 

[ElizabethPH]

Ok then. On another thread I said catholicism was confusing - here’s why I think that - from the thread I referred to:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4098019&postcount=215

So in actually fact, the mother IS excommunicated, if she is a catholic

I understand how confusing it can get. Wanner in that post you linked too sure wasn’t very helpful for you, IMO anyway. rpp is correct in his/her post reply to you in this thread. Did a great job of explaining. I hope rpp helped clear things up for you.

 

[peary1]

Simple question hoping for a direct answer.

Why is Abortion an automatic excommunication where you need the Bishop to grant absolution but not murder of those of us outside of the womb?

I.E. if one commits murder they can confess to just anyone that had the office for it. Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, Priest, I THINK but could be wrong even Deacons from an Eastern Parish that are in communion with the Holy See.

If I am wrong about the Deacon thing please only answer if you are going to answer the one on Abortion / murder I don’t want this to go into a debate over who can confess.

The way I understand it today, a person procuring an abortion automatically excommunicates herself from the Body of Christ, the Church. If the individual is truly repentant, she can discuss the matter with a priest and/or confess it. There is no need for a special absolution from a bishop or the pope. Deacons cannot hear Confession so they cannot grant absolution.

 

[elts1956]

Perhaps because abortion is the murder of an innocent and defenseless child and perhaps further because this person is at that moment without sin, having not yet been born into the world?

Blessings,

Brian

Your post brings up another explanation/question. At one time, the Catholic Church postulated there was a place called limbo where all unbaptized children/infants/unborn infants went upon death. Since this was the statement, then the Church apparently believed? or taught? unborn children had the stain of Original Sin on their souls. Don’t know the latest teaching on this. Anyone else know?

 

[Ruthie]

I understand from other postings, especialy on Ask an Apologist, thet Limbo was never an official teaching of the Church, but a theological theory that became popular.

Yes, they are born with the stain of original sin. The teaching on this is that we do not know the fate of unbaptized babies who die, but we trust in God’s mercy. See # 1261 in the CCC.

I like to think that the unbaptized babies, especially the aborted ones, are sitting in Heaven praying for their parents!

Ruthie

 

[Chipper]

This is from the Catechism, the official teachings of the Church.

"latae sententiae"** is the automatic part. People excommunicate themselves by simply doing this.

And who is excommunicated, you ask? Everyone who formally cooperates. That would include the entire staff at the clinic, the mother herself, a fiend who may have driven her, anyone who suggested, counseled or encouraged her to kill her baby, and anyone who knowingly helped pay for it and anyone who made it legal or possible.

I agree it reads this way in the Catholic Encyclopedia at newadvent.

I wonder how much of this could be extended to Nancy Pelosi. After all there must be some catholics out there, who heard what she said and therefore will procure an abortion. This would mean that Nancy is cooperating in any number of abortions, by telling them to go ahead and do it. Stating this from an authorative congressional seat, nonetheless.