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Background. Most of my family is RC and I was raised in the Roman church.
One of my family members sent this to me today and I was interested in the board's take. RC and any others' thoughts welcome and appreciated.
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Statement of Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
On the Moral Permissibility of Recently Announced Vaccines for COVID-19
December 8, 2020
On December 2nd Governor Abbott announced that the federal government will be distributing an initial allotment of approximately 1.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Texas during the month of December. These vaccines will be administered by qualifying providers throughout the state.
Some individuals and groups are publicly asserting that if a vaccine is connected in any way with tainted cell lines, then it is immoral to be vaccinated with it. This is an inaccurate presentation of Catholic moral doctrine. I would like to offer some clarifications regarding the moral permissibility of using the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the companies Pfizer and Moderna.
Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccine involved the use of cell lines that originated in tissue taken from the body of an aborted baby at any level of design, development, or production. However, these vaccines are not completely free from any connection to abortion, as both Pfizer and Moderna made use of a tainted cell line for one of the confirmatory lab tests of their products. There is thus a connection, but it is relatively remote and should not be the basis for refusing to receive the vaccine.
A third possible vaccine, this one produced by AstraZeneca, is morally concerning because of its origins. However, according to Catholic moral teaching, it is also acceptable to receive it for the sake of our own health and the health of others if it is the only vaccine available in a given place.
It is morally permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, which will be available for distribution in Texas beginning this month.
On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we unite ourselves more closely to the intercession of the Mother of God as we pray for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please be assured of my continued prayers for the clergy and lay faithful of the Church in Galveston-Houston.
Background. Most of my family is RC and I was raised in the Roman church.
One of my family members sent this to me today and I was interested in the board's take. RC and any others' thoughts welcome and appreciated.
---------
Statement of Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
On the Moral Permissibility of Recently Announced Vaccines for COVID-19
December 8, 2020
On December 2nd Governor Abbott announced that the federal government will be distributing an initial allotment of approximately 1.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Texas during the month of December. These vaccines will be administered by qualifying providers throughout the state.
Some individuals and groups are publicly asserting that if a vaccine is connected in any way with tainted cell lines, then it is immoral to be vaccinated with it. This is an inaccurate presentation of Catholic moral doctrine. I would like to offer some clarifications regarding the moral permissibility of using the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the companies Pfizer and Moderna.
Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccine involved the use of cell lines that originated in tissue taken from the body of an aborted baby at any level of design, development, or production. However, these vaccines are not completely free from any connection to abortion, as both Pfizer and Moderna made use of a tainted cell line for one of the confirmatory lab tests of their products. There is thus a connection, but it is relatively remote and should not be the basis for refusing to receive the vaccine.
A third possible vaccine, this one produced by AstraZeneca, is morally concerning because of its origins. However, according to Catholic moral teaching, it is also acceptable to receive it for the sake of our own health and the health of others if it is the only vaccine available in a given place.
It is morally permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, which will be available for distribution in Texas beginning this month.
On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we unite ourselves more closely to the intercession of the Mother of God as we pray for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic. Please be assured of my continued prayers for the clergy and lay faithful of the Church in Galveston-Houston.