I’m sorry if I fail to grasp the understand the real significance of this issue. Is the “when” really all that important? Don’t we believe God is creator, and we are creatures, and so all human life has God as its source? The Church doesn’t teach when “personhood” occurs as that’s more a philosophical question than a theological one.I am asking for help on this subject because I have a very good friend that is needing some information on the teaching of the Church concerning when the soul enters the body. We are all told that at the time of conception a person is there because the soul is placed there by God. Her concern is that in trying to teach this she cannot find references for documentation. Her parish priest is not a help on this and other people she has used as resources have sometimes been a hinderence.
Therefore I ask those of you who have been blessed with the gift of knowledge in this matter to help out for she is one who touches many people and is concerned with abortions and life of the unborn. She has just received a personal hand written letter from Cardinal Arinze, but not on this matter.
mdcpensive1
I’m sorry if I fail to grasp the understand the real significance of this issue. Is the “when” really all that important? Don’t we believe God is creator, and we are creatures, and so all human life has God as its source? The Church doesn’t teach when “personhood” occurs as that’s more a philosophical question than a theological one.
The significance of the issue has to do how we teach the ethical standards of Catholicism. For example, can a priest (or anyone of authority for that matter) teach that abortion is OK before a certain time? Knowing about life confirms our beliefs taught by the Church and we can better defend the Church’s position by the use of reason and truth.Cheers
I attended a lecture this evening by Dr. Lawrence Feingold who teaches in the master’s program for Ave Maria University. He brought to mind the fact that when the angel announced to Mary that she will conceive, the Lord became from a zygot to a child outside the womb a person who was always God during that time. It would be unfathomable to believe that anything could justify an abortion of Our Savior any time in the womb. This birth gives dignity to all births forever more. No court decision can or should change the fact of dignity of the unborn. Anybody who calls themselves a Christian should understand this as a matter of faith by believing that Our Lady Mother Mary did not have the right to kill her son Jesus. I don’t understand why some elected officials who are called Catholic or Christian don’t understand this point. I guess we need to pray more.
mdcpensive1
Thank you for responding. As I understood your comments, though, I inferred that you agreed with my point that “when” is irrelevant. Did I read your comments correctly?
Sorry for getting back to you so late.Cheers
But the when was important because my friend says she has heard even priests say that abortion is OK in the beginning stages. I needed info to give her about the official Church teaching that it is in beginning, the very beginning of conception and not later. Therefore, the “when” is important.
I hope I was making myself understandable because sometimes my fingers do different things than my brain. Thanks again for responding.
mdcpensive1