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STATEMENT

on

ABORTION

National Conference of

Catholic Bishops

APRIL 22, 1970

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE
OAME

memorial library

Etd 8 1979

COLLEGE LIBRARY

VERTICAL FILE



Last year, we stated our strong opposition

to ongoing efforts to strike down laws

prohibiting abortion. Our defense of human

life is rooted in the biblical prohibition, "thou

shalt not kill." Regrettably, there has been a

radical turn of events during this past year,

and a new effort has been directed to the

total repeal of all such laws. At the same time,

an effort has been mounted in the courts to

have such laws declared unconstitutional.

Therefore we speak again on this

important issue of public policy, addressing

ourselves to the Catholic community and to

all our fellow citizens. For the question of

abortion is a moral problem transcending any

particular sectarian approach. Our opposition

to abortion derives from our conviction that

whatever is opposed to life is a violation of

man's inherent rights, a position that has a

strong basis in the history of American law.

The U.S. Bill of Rights guarantees the right to

life to every American, and the U.N.

Declaration on the Rights of the Child, which

our nation endorses, affirms that the child,

because of his dependent status, should be

accorded a special protection under the law

before as well as after birth. (U.N. General

Assembly, November 20, 1959)

In light of the attempts to remove all

prohibition of abortion from our legal system,

the life of the innocent unborn child is no

longer given universal protection in the laws

of our land. Moreover, the absence of all legal

restraint promotes the acceptance of abortion

as a convenient way for a woman to terminate

the life of her child and the responsibilities

that she has as its mother.

The implications of this proposed change

in legal philosophy are enormous. Once we

allow the taking of innocent human life in the



earliest stages of its development for the sake

of convenience, how can we logically protect

human life at any other point, once that life

becomes a burden?

The assertion is made that a woman has a

right not to be forced to bear a child against

her will, but when a woman is already

pregnant, this right must be considered in

light of the child's right to life, the woman's

responsibilities as its mother, and the rights

and responsibilities of the child's father. The

life of the unborn child is a human life. The

destruction of any human life is not a private

matter, but the concern of every responsible

citizen.

We remain convinced that human life is a

priceless gift, and our pastoral duty prompts

us to reaffirm that "God, the Lord of life, has

conferred on men the surpassing ministry of

safeguarding life, a ministry which must be

fulfilled in a manner which is worthy of man.

Therefore from the moment of its conception

life must be guarded with the greatest care,

while abortion and infanticide are

unspeakable crimes." (Pastoral Constitution

on the Church in the Modern World, No. 51)

Once again, we declare our determination

to seek solutions to the problems that lead

some women to consider abortion. We pledge

our efforts to do all that is possible to remove

the social stigma that is visited on the woman

who is pregnant out of wedlock, as well as on

her child. We also pledge the facilities and the

efforts of our Church agencies to provide

counseling and understanding to the woman

who faces a difficult pregnancy. At the same

time, we are encouraged by the scientific

advance of recent decades that has already

provided us with ways to support and

maintain the life and health of the mother



and the development of the child in the

womb.

Finally, we are aware that the value of

human life is not exclusively a Catholic

concern. Many Americans agonize over the

loss of life involved in modern warfare, the

serious ethical questions raised by recent

scientific and surgical advances, the

implications of pollution on our environment

and the long-range ettects ot drug use. But

safeguarding the life of all men requires

safeguarding the life of every individual, for

our hold on life itself is only as strong as the

weakest link in our system of law.