THE EDITOR, Sir:BISHOP PAUL Boyle is correct when he states that the Roman Catholic Church opposes
abortion. Unfortunately, when he explains his position, he misrepresents Catholic doctrine. In fact, the Catholic Church teaches that, in some circumstances, it IS morally licit to kill one person in order to save another: this is the foundation for legitimate self defence, and underlies the just war tradition as well.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms that human life must be defended: "Legitimate defence can be not only a right but a grave duty for someone responsible for another's life, the common good of the family or of the state."
TENSION
There is a tension in Catholic teaching: John Paul II denies women the right to defend themselves by ending a life-threatening pregnancy, but this exception contradicts the doctrine of self-defence that was well-established hundreds of years ago. All innocent lives women as well as foetuses deserve equal respect, and abortion in cases where the mother's life is threatened by pregnancy is a tragic case in which sometimes self-defence of one innocent against another may be invoked.
Regarding the responsibility of public officials concerning abortion laws, Pope John Paul II teaches in Evangelism Vitae that they are expected to oppose laws that permit abortion, except where allowing such laws would limit the negative consequences for public morality.
The Jamaican context would seem to be exactly such a situation: illegal abortion is a leading cause of death for pregnant women, and enables the existence of a shadowy realm of illegal
underground clinics that undercut respect for legitimate hospitals. No Catholic, no moral
person, can support casual abortion abortion for trivial reasons is an abuse. But if a woman's life is
threatened by her pregnancy, surely self-defence can be invoked to justify legal abortion. And in a situation in which illegal abortion kills a high
proportion of pregnant women and fosters
contempt for the medical profession, then support for the common good and public morality might allow a person of good conscience to uphold
legalisation while working to provide the social support for pregnant women that would make
abortion safe, legal, but very rare in Jamaica.
Bishop Boyle should take care not to give the impression that the Catholic Church is more concerned for the lives of foetuses than for the lives of pregnant women endangered by
pregnancy or by the scourge of illegal abortion.
I am, etc.,
LISA FULLAM
lafullam@yahoo.com
Oakland
California
