the lawfulness of the use of these vaccines [derived from cell lines of aborted babies] should not be misinterpreted as a declaration of the lawfulness of their production, marketing and use, but is to be understood as being a passive material cooperation and, in its mildest and remotest sense, also active, morally justified as an extrema ratio …—Pontifical Academy for Life
INTRODUCTION
At 90.7 years, I am in the high risk cohort for covid-19. My wife, 85.6, with two co-morbidities, is even more at risk. So, we’ll be vaccinated when it’s ready and we’ll go out into the world again after our nine month period of lockdown. Or will we? I recall the 2019 anti-vaccine protests in Oregon, protests based on religious principles: measles, chickenpox, polio, shingles vaccines make use of fetal tissue cell lines (see the Wikipedia article, “Use of Fetal Tissue in Vaccine Development” for details).
What should my wife and I, as strongly pro-life Catholics, choose to do in this apparent dilemma? Deacon Tom, my spiritual director, told me that the Church had issued a directive on this question some 15 years ago. In 2003, Mrs. Debra Vinnedge, Executive Director—Children of God for Life, wrote to Pope Benedict XVI. She asked Pope Benedict for guidelines in the use of vaccines prepared from cell lines of aborted human fetuses. Two years later, The Pontifical Academy for Life produced a paper giving such guidelines; the main points of their study are summarized below.
MORAL CONSIDERATIONS
In “Moral Reflections on Vaccines Prepared from Human Cells Derived from Aborted Human Foetuses,” the following general ethical principles are set forth regarding degrees of “cooperation in evil;”
- Formal Cooperation—one cooperates with and shares the evil intention of the sinner;
- Material Cooperation—one cooperates with but does not share the evil intention of the sinner;
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- Immediate (direct) Material Cooperation—one shares in the execution of the sinful act;
- Mediate (indirect) Material Cooperation—one provides the means for the execution, but does not participate in the act;
- Passive (negative) Material Cooperation—one does not denounce or impede the performance of the sinful act, given that one has a moral duty to do so.
Of course one should not use vaccines that are derived from or make use of cell lines from fetal tissue, if there are alternative vaccines available, or if no health risk ensue from not using a vaccine. What if alternative vaccines are not available and there is a considerable health risk? The document gives the following guideline:
…if the latter [the general population] are exposed to considerable dangers to their health, vaccines with moral problems pertaining to them may also be used on a temporary basis. The moral reason is that the duty to avoid passive material cooperation is not obligatory if there is grave inconvenience. Moreover, we find, in such a case, a proportional reason. op.cit.
Obviously, the “proportional reason” is to avoid being a source of infection. Let’s explore whether potential covid-19 vaccines might be available that do not involve use of cell lines from aborted foetuses. (And if they aren’t, what then?)
FETAL CELL LINE USE IN POTENTIAL COVID-19 VACCINES
Fortunately an extensive up-to-date catalog (as of November 11th, 2020) of the use of fetal cell lines by vaccine developers is available from the Charlotte Lozier Institute. This Institute is dedicated to the promotion of “deeper understanding of the value of human life, motherhood and fatherhood.” The list of scholars, many of them Catholic, associated with the Institute is impressive.
There are three ways in which fetal tissue may be used for a vaccine: development and research, production, and confirmatory testing. For each of 32 organizations developing a covid-19 vaccine, the Charlotte Lozier catalog specifies how each of these three programs is carried out, including use of specific cell lines derived from abortions.
I’ll focus on the information given about three developers who have recently announced positive test results: Pfizer, Moderna and Astra-Zeneca (with Oxford University).
ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTION TESTING
Astra-Zeneca HEK293 Cells HEK293 Cells ?
Moderna Computer Design No cells used Protein, HEK293
Pfizer Computer Design No cells used Protein, HEK293
The HEK293 cell line is derived from the kidney of a female baby aborted in the Netherlands in 1973. Under the “Testing” column in the Charlotte Crozier catalog there is either no information or the listing given in the table above. So one can conclude that there is a uniform testing procedure for vaccine efficacy which involves use of the HEK 293 line.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Of the three vaccines that are effective as of this date, that from Astra-Zeneca is clearly disqualified on moral grounds, since a cell line from an aborted foetus is used in the two most importan phases, vaccine development and production, and probably in the third, testing. The vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer use this cell line only secondarily in testing the vaccine efficacy. Is that acceptable? If I accept the quote from the Pontifical Academy of Life document, “the duty to avoid passive material cooperation is not obligatory if there is grave inconvenience,” then I have an excuse to do so. Will I and my wife do so? Answer forthcoming in several months.
There are indeed prudential considerations in addition to moral ones in this decision. Reports of aftereffects from covid-19 infection—nerve damage, susceptibility to type 1 Diabetes, ….—are rife on the internet. Will there be corresponding side effects from a covid-19 vaccine? Tune in two years from now and I’ll let you know, God willing.
15 thoughts on “Covid-19 Vaccines and Catholic Ethics”
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I will look forward to seeing what Fr Koopman has to say, since I too am in that diocese. However, there are two important points that are not emphasized here. 1. Catholics who do accept vaccination are cooperating with evil, albeit very remote, material cooperation and thus…they have an obligation to make known their objection to companies who have used cell lines derived from aborted fetal tissues. 2. The acceptance of the use of these types of vaccines in cases of proportionate reason, must be temporary, with insistence that moral alternatives be made available. Though in the case of 2 of these COVID vaccines we are looking at testing and not production or development, it must not be minimized or downplayed that the situation we find ourselves in is one where the exploitation of aborted children has been accepted without much resistance. This should be vehemently opposed.
Furthermore, I think it would be wise for those who downplay the serious objections of Bishops Strickland and Schneider to slow down, read their objections seriously, and consider that they do in fact offer very valuable perspective. Part of the problem here is that we are in a perceived time crunch and everyone wants an answer now. There are more concerns to consider than just the immediately present concern of preventing COVID infections. Give these men some respect and consider their objections seriously.
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Sounds like very good news on the Corona front –
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Testimony-Kory-2020-12-08.pdf –
Related to testimony about the good of Ivermectin , which has long history of safe use , being effective for Corona ( as well as other viral illnesses ) , how the media seems to ignore same and the Govt . seems not able to move fast enough to put it to use .
More on this so called ‘ wonder drug ‘ – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043740/
May the God given wisdom prevail , in more hearts , in living in the Divine Will and its blessings to flow in to all realms of all our lives .
Thank you too ( as well as to Spirit Daily site for having the article at their site .)
Your caution about the vaccine seems good and prudent – the history of ? rapid mutations of the virus as well as the connection to H.I.V genome , which does not give immunity , thus no vaccines so far and the reports of a repeat infection being more serious are all reasons for concern .
The readings of today – how we can be protected from poisons as well , by The Lord also
apt .
Puzzling to read how the virus has been in Italy as early as Sept . – ? bioterrorism ..
The Divine Will revelations seems to be an area of great help in our times , how The Lord is preparing a time of the Reign of the Divine Will , to undo the effects of our rebellious self will in our midst – purification and all too .
Being a physicist , you might find the light in same , as the ‘ Divine Science ‘ of fulfilling our role , to give glory and praise to God , for the Eternal Acts , in Creation , Redemption and Sanctification – a role that Adam was to have done , ? even to set the universe back in order , after same was brought into disorder by the fallen angels
( myself , new to all this , yet find it very beneficial – esp. as one who had been fearful of the word ‘God’s Will ‘ seeing it as only suffering – 🙂 )
https://www.ltdw.org/about-fr-joe.html – one good site to start with and lots more on line .
Meanwhile , the absence of efforts to make wide spread use of mandatory Hepa and UVC light systems for air cleaning in all public indoor spaces , ? even using the military or the many unemployed to help make same possible , in supplies as well as installation if needed – a mystery as to how same has not been done so far , since it could bring benefits for years down for all air born illnesses .
Supplementing Magnesium , as easily available Mg Chloride salt form , to use as a salt water massage on the body few times a week ( lots of info on line , not much risk ) thus helping to prevent inflammation as the basic issue , less stress and all too .
God bless !
JPG, Covid is not a retro-virus like HIV, so it does not mutate quickly. That is not to say it can’t mutate, but we should be able to acquire immunity using a vaccine. That’s the good news…
This sounds like a cop out. At this stage of the game why not go smoothly into your twilight years, as did Our Forefather Polycarp, and set a good example for younger generations that we will not cooperate with evil in any way, shape or form?
Thanks for the inspiring and consoling words,”fightthegoodfight.” I still have some good years left to do good, as does my wife, and I’d rather take the advice of the Pontifical Academy for Life, than yours to submit to the attack of the Wuhan flu, and follow the “go gently into that good night” euthanasia advocated by the left.
Maybe the “good” you still have left to do is to be 100% pro life unto death.
God Bless
Certain members of the clergy have also been speaking out regarding the moral nature of such a vaccine and whether a Catholic might use it. Fr. Robert Altier, a priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, recently delivered a homily in which, amongst other issues, he slated the Moderna vaccine by name.
He described Moderna’s vaccine as “heinous” because it “is designed to change the RNA in your body so that every cell in your body then has been changed to be able to fight the coronavirus. Not your immune system anymore – the very cells in your body will be changed. This is evil.”
Bishop Brennan of Fresno, California, issued a video message to the faithful in his diocese, in which he reaffirmed the immorality of all vaccines, including COVID vaccines, that at any stage of production have any involvement with aborted babies.
Brennan stated, “If material has been used that is unacceptable on a moral level in any stage of the process for the development of a vaccine, that is from design … the testing … the production … any stage, anything in between, if it’s using objectionable material, we can’t use it, we can’t avail ourselves of it.”
Bishop Strickland of Tyler, Texas, also warned people via Twitter against the Moderna vaccine, saying that it is not “morally produced.”
“Moderna vaccine is not morally produced. Unborn children died in abortions and then their bodies were used as ‘laboratory specimens’. I urge all who believe in the sanctity of life to reject a vaccine which has been produced immorally,” he said.
Thanks for your advice on how to do good, FGF, but I prefer to listen to my priest, my spiritual director and my conscience. Moreover, I put more trust in the carefully reasoned moral arguments of the Vatican Pontifical Academy for Life than I do in those of the the clerical “authorities” you quote. For a correct interpretation of how mRNA vaccines work (to give instructions on how to produce antibodies) see this article. Bishop Strickland is incorrect in his statement that many babies were killed in the past or are currently to produce the Moderna vaccine. Rather, one baby girl (sadly) was aborted in the Netherlands in 1973 to yield the HEK293 cell line.
Let me ask you, did the priest and bishop you cite argue strongly against the election of Biden and anti-life democrats? how many more babies will be killed because a nominal Catholic may be president, who allows and promotes abortion? Indeed, the current practice of banning fetal cells from aborted babies for research will be allowed by Biden and a democrat administration, so there’s more urgency dealing with that problem, than making token gestures about not using vaccines that have secondarily used a cell line from an abortion 47 years ago. I want to prevent abortion and euthanasia in the future, not make gestures about one abortion that has taken place in past. I’ll put more credence in what you have to say if I knew that your energy in promoting pro-life measures was also focused on what is effective for the future, rather making yourself feel good about decrying past actions.
Fightthegoodfight, I work in molecular pathology for a living, and your “authorities” on this subject have spoken first before understanding the science. It is unfortunate that the girl’s cells were used… more like a patient in an initial cohort. However, keep in mind that this process normally takes 10 years and 5 years is record-breaking territory. I’m not making excuses for Moderna because I don’t know why they didn’t just use other immortal cells – like cancer. Obviously cancer has its drawbacks. The point here is that the girl’s cells were not used as material in cooperation with the development or production of the vaccine. I haven’t made up my own mind yet, but one thing is for sure – we can’t judge a vaccine by the patients in its cohort. What if a clone volunteered? Would that make the vaccine evil? More remotely, should we avoid the postal service because they deliver mail to abortion clinics?
You are welcome, Mr. K. Fr. Koopman is very respected, and I thought perhaps some reinforcement might convince those who are on the fence to be vaccinated if they have the opportunity. God bless and protect you, and blessed Advent.
A note from my pastor in our parish newsletter, and from the moral theologian of St, Mary Seminary of the Cleveland Diocese (I implicitly trust my pastor and Fr. Koopman on this):
Fr. Joseph Koopman, moral theologian at St. Mary Seminary in Wickliffe, recently wrote an evaluation of the morality and ethics of the COVID-19 vaccine that is close to being released to the public. There has been some question among Catholics of whether or not we are permitted to receive vaccines for COVID-19, especially because various news outlets have reported controversy regarding embryonic stem cells or tissue from aborted children that were used in the vaccines’ development and production.
With the current information available, (which may change once more information is released,) Fr. Koopman has written that it appears that the vaccines developed by Pfizer/Biontech and Moderna have not been created using embryonic stem cells and/or the tissue of aborted children. Therefore, there are no moral or religious grounds which would restrict faithful Catholics from receiving the vaccines.
There has been talk in the media that suggests the vaccines may have been tested using the tissue of aborted children. Therefore, some say that it would place Catholics in a gravely immoral situation if they were to receive the vaccine. Says Fr. Koopman, “This sweeping conclusion is inconsistent with Catholic moral teaching. A critical question is: ‘Are Catholics always forbidden to perform an action if it touches upon evil, or cooperates, somehow, with the evil action of another?’ The answer is ‘no’. There certainly are instances when Catholics must refrain from immoral cooperation. However, Catholic teaching on moral cooperation makes critical distinctions (mediae/immediate, proximate/remote, etc.) to determine the degree or level to which one cooperates in evil. In some cases, some forms of cooperation, while unfortunate, can be allowed in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world. Dig deep enough, and one finds that many of our actions somehow touch upon evil and the evil actions of others. While the Church draws a firm line in delineating certain acts of cooperation as immoral, it does not condemn all actions of cooperation as such.”
From the beginning of research into the COVID-19vaccine, the Church has challenged researchers and the medical industry to reject the use of embryonic stem cells and aborted children. The Church firmly condemns researchers and the medical industry for the creation, production, and distribution of vaccines produced from embryonic stem cells and from the tissue of aborted children. But the receiving of vaccines made not from any of these immoral methods and yet tested in an immoral way is in another moral category, one that permits Catholics to receive such vaccines. If other vaccines are released which do not use material of illicit origin, Catholic moral teaching would direct Catholics to utilize the option that is least morally problematic (i.e., to use the vaccines that were not created via such immoral means),
If COVID vaccines are developed by other companies and you want to know if it is okay to receive them or want to clarify which are okay, Catholic moral teaching would direct Catholics to utilize the option that is least morally problematic (i.e., the vaccines that were not created via such immoral means). Fr. Koopman recommends checking the website of the Charlotte Lozier Institute for reliable and updated information.
Thank you SMK, for repeating what I wrote in the article.