The Zika Virus. What Is Our Catholic Response?

Transcription

1 The Zika Virus What Is Our Catholic Response?

2 Teaching the Faith with Current Events The Zika Virus: What Is Our Catholic Response? Overview Fears in the Americas are growing over the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that, while only causing mild flulike symptoms and a rash in most infected people, has been linked to an increase in microcephaly cases in unborn babies. Microcephaly is a birth defect that causes underdevelopment of the head and brain and sometimes severe disability. Some activists have taken the opportunity to push for an increase in the availability of abortion as a response to the Zika threat. This push has been particularly strong in South American countries, such as Brazil, where abortion is Links Zika Scare Reopens Abortion Debate in Brazil NBC News Brazilian Bishops Reject Abortion as Response to Zika Virus National Catholic Register currently illegal. The situation has presented a unique pastoral challenge, though Church teaching on abortion and the use of contraception is clear: the ends never justify the means. One may not do evil so that good may result. This month s Teaching the Faith with Current Events elesson explores the situation surrounding the Zika virus and the response of the Brazilian Catholic bishops to an increased effort to legalize abortion there. Included are resources and discussion questions to help students consider Church teaching regarding abortion and contraception and apply it to the current situation. Students will also ponder whether the human dignity of those born with undesirable birth defects differs from those born without defects.

3 Suggested Readings (Middle and High School): Catechism of the Catholic Church 1753: A good intention (for example, that of helping one's neighbor) does not make behavior that is intrinsically disordered, such as lying and calumny, good or just. The end does not justify the means. Thus the condemnation of an innocent person cannot be justified as a legitimate means of saving the nation. On the other hand, an added bad intention (such as vainglory) makes an act evil that, in and of itself, can be good (such as almsgiving). 2274: Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being. Prenatal diagnosis is morally licit [allowable], "if it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed toward its safe guarding or healing as an individual.... It is gravely opposed to the moral law when this is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, depending upon the results: a diagnosis must not be the equivalent of a death sentence." 2368: A particular aspect of this responsibility concerns the regulation of procreation. For just reasons, spouses may wish to space the births of their children. It is their duty to make certain that their desire is not motivated by selfishness but is in conformity with the generosity appropriate to responsible parenthood. Moreover, they should conform their behavior to the objective criteria of morality: When it is a question of harmonizing married love with the responsible transmission of life, the morality of the behavior does not depend on sincere intention and evaluation of motives alone; but it must be determined by objective criteria, criteria drawn from the nature of the person and his acts, criteria that respect the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love; this is possible only if the virtue of married chastity is practiced with sincerity of heart. 2370: Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil: Middle and High School Discussion Questions

4 1. Read the NBC News article, Zika Scare Reopens Abortion Debate in Brazil, and then answer the following questions: a. What is the Zika virus? How is it transmitted? What are the immediate symptoms? b. What effects do some people suspect the Zika virus may have on pregnant women? c. What is microcephaly? What are three things that usually happen to babies with microcephaly? d. The outbreak of the Zika virus has understandably caused much nervousness in Brazil and around the Americas. The National Conference of Bishops in Brazil said that we should not give in to panic or treat the situation as hopeless. Look at the Brazilian ministry of health s statistics in regard to microcephaly: What is the total number of cases of microcephaly it is investigating? How many have been confirmed? How many are related to the Zika virus? What is this percentage? e. While Zika could become a bigger issue, do you think that drastic measures are needed right now? f. What does Mrs. Diniz suggest as the best solution to the potential problems the Zika virus might cause? 2. Read the National Catholic Register article, Brazilian Bishops Reject Abortion as Response to Zika Virus, and then answer the following questions: a. How are activists using the Zika virus to try to change abortion policy in Brazil? b. Although the direct connection between the Zika virus and microcephaly has not been confirmed, there is much reason to be cautious and need to investigate further. For the time being, what have five governments, Brazil s included, suggested that couples do? c. Pro-abortion activists say that abortion and contraception are the only effective solutions for dealing with the increased risk of birth defects. What is the Catholic response to the call for increased abortions as a solution to birth defects? d. Melissa Moschella said that choosing abortion as a means of preventing birth with microcephaly is like saying that for the thousands of children who are already born, the solution is to kill them, and that is not a solution. What does the article state is the core teaching of the Church that holds that an unborn fetus has the same rights as a child who is already born? e. When asked about this issue, Pope Francis said that abortion is a crime, an absolute evil and is never justified, even if there is a good chance of birth defect or death of the child. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2274, then respond to the following questions:

5 How should embryos be treated from the moment of conception? What are the conditions for a pre-natal diagnosis to be considered allowable? What must a pre-natal diagnosis NOT be? How is the pro-abortion response to the Zika virus (as stated in the MSNBC article) contrary to Church teaching as stated in Catechism no. 2274? f. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1753, then respond to the following questions: What effect does a good intention have upon an intrinsically disordered behavior? What effect does a bad intention have upon an act that would otherwise be good? In your own words, describe the moral principle that dictates the Catholic prohibition of abortion, even when a baby might have a birth defect. g. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2368, then respond to the following questions: For what reasons might spouses wish to space the births of their children? What duty do parents have regarding a desire to regulate procreation? Are good intentions and motives alone enough reason for spouses to regulate procreation? Why or why not? What also must considered? h. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2370, then respond to the following questions: Periodic continence is also sometimes referred to as Natural Family Planning. What is Natural Family Planning? How is this an acceptable means for spouses to regulate procreation? The third sentence of Catechism no addresses the use of artificial means of contraception. How is this defined in contrast to Natural Family Planning? What is the moral character of contraception? i. The National Catholic Register article affirms the teaching of the Church articulated in the Catechism regarding spacing the birth of children and contraception and points out that the use of artificial contraception is not an appropriate solution for couples wanting to avoid birth defects. What alternatives for reducing the transmission of the virus does the article suggest are in accord with Church teaching and uphold the dignity of the human person?

6 Suggested Answers a. The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms, and a rash. b. The Zika virus affects pregnant women and women who may become pregnant, the same as anyone else, however, scientists suspect that the Zika virus may cause a birth defect called microcephaly in unborn babies. c. Microcephaly is a birth defect. It causes underdevelopment of the head and brain. Often babies with microcephaly are miscarried or die at birth. Those who survive are usually disabled. d. Brazil is investigating 3670 cases of microcephaly. There are 404 confirmed cases. Only 17 cases have been linked to the Zika virus. That is a rate of 0.4%, or almost half of 1% of reported microcephaly cases. e. Answers will vary. f. She is suggesting that all pregnant women be tested for the Zika virus, and if found infected, referred to pre-natal care where they would be given the option of aborting their baby. a. Abortion is currently illegal in Brazil, except in cases of risk to the life of the mother and incest. In response to the Zika threat, several women s rights groups have petitioned the Supreme Federal Court in Brazil to legalize abortion in cases of malformation of the fetus. b. Pregnant women have been advised to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, and couples have been advised to avoid pregnancy. c. The bishops have stated that therapeutic abortion doesn t exist. In other words, the idea of using abortion as a means of dealing with Zika threat is not a solution at all. Rather, abortion cures nothing. It takes innocent lives. d. The Church teaches that abortion and artificial contraception are objectively evil. But it also teaches that married couples should practice responsible parenthood in conformity with the

7 e. f. g. h. natural law. With the help of natural family planning, couples can space pregnancies by engaging in periodic abstinence. From the moment of their conception, embryos must be treated as persons and defended in their integrity, cared for, healed, and as far as possible, treated like any other human being. If it respects the life and integrity of the embryo and is directed toward his or her safe guarding or healing as an individual. The equivalent of a death sentence. The pro-abortion response is using a potential pre-natal diagnosis to justify the killing of the unborn baby. This is completely contrary to Church teaching, which holds that the diagnosis is only good if it is used to heal the unborn baby, rather than create a reason to kill him or her. It does not make the behavior good or just. The end never justifies the means. It can make an otherwise good act evil. Even though the intention may be good (preventing a child from having some disability), a good intention never justifies an objectively evil act (abortion). For just reasons. Parents have a duty to make certain their desire to regulate procreation is not motivated by selfishness and is in conformity with the generosity appropriate to responsible parenthood. No. Parents must conform their behavior to the criteria of objective morality. Natural Family Planning refers to methods of regulating procreation based on selfobservation and the use of infertile periods. This is acceptable because it is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality and does not artificially seek to prevent conception from occurring. It respects the bodies of the spouses, encourages tenderness between them, and favors the education of an authentic freedom. Contraception is anything which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes,

8 whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible. It is intrinsically evil. i. Refraining from sexual intercourse, employing Natural Family Planning to regulate procreation, the Church should give clear guidance and provide practical support groups, and pastors should reaffirm Church teaching on contraception and Natural Family Planning from the pulpit.