CHRISTIAN MORALITY

Abortifacients

by Charles M. Mangan

The Church’s longstanding battle against abortion is well-known. She unhesitatingly raises her voice to protest the unjust slaughter of the innocents. Millions of preborn children annually go to their premature deaths by way of abortion.

    It is also recognized that the Church—the Bride of Christ—proclaims the inseparability of the life-giving (procreative) and the love-giving (unitive) dimensions of the marital act, thereby condemning contraception in all its forms.

    Some theologians have asserted that the Church is in serious error by prohibiting contraception because, it is argued, abortion is the murder of innocent preborn life while contraception is “merely” preventing conception from occurring. And some pro-lifers argue that the Church should focus her attention wholly on stopping abortion and let contraception alone.

    The Church steadfastly rejects this rationale for many reasons, two of which are especially apropos to this discussion: 1) contraception is intrinsically evil and must be unmasked as such, objections to the contrary notwithstanding; and, 2) consistent with the painstaking research of such notable Catholic proponents of Humanae Vitae as Mrs. Judie Brown, Father John Hardon, S.J., Mr. John Kippley, Dr. Steve Koob, Father Paul Marx, O.S.B., and Father Frank Pavone, specific so-called “contraceptives” are actually abortion-inducing (abortifacient) devices and drugs which destroy the preborn life already existing, not disallow the egg and sperm from uniting. It is this second reason which will now be explored.

    In an excellent and timely piece of research, Dr. Bogomir M. Kuhar, Executive Director of Pharmacists for Life International (PLI), presents irrefutable evidence regarding the abortifacient quality of drugs and devices which are too often labeled as “contraceptives.” Infant Homicides Through Contraceptives, published by Eternal Life (P.O.Box 787, Bardstown, KY 40004-0787), persuasively demonstrates that the familiar “Pill,” RU-486, Depo-Provera, Norplant, and Intrauterine Device (I.U.D.) and the “emergency contraception” drug extinguish newly-conceived human life.

    Sadly, most users of these abortifacient methods are never informed that these drugs and devices induce abortions. These persons believe—and are told by medical personnel—that they will be preventing conception, not ending the lives of their preborn children.

    It is imperative that a crucial distinction be trumpeted far and wide. Surgical abortion is the common procedure whereby one goes to a hospital or clinic to snuff out the life of a preborn child. Recent figures indicate that there are between 1,300,00 and 1,400,000 surgical abortions annually in the United States.

    Chemical abortion, on the other hand, is the taking of innocent preborn human life—as in surgical abortion—but by “silent” means of drugs and devices. The act of chemical abortion is usually not as “dramatic” as surgical abortion, but it is nevertheless just as real and deadly. An innocent preborn child made in the image of God is dead whether by surgical or chemical means.
This essential information must be quickly and clearly transmitted by bishops in their pastoral letters, priests in their homilies, catechists in their religious education classes, married couples in their instructions to engaged couples, etc. Furthermore, Catholic health care professionals must do all they can to pass this word along. Catholic pharmacists need to be courageous in confronting this evil and refuse to fulfill prescriptions for these notorious “human pesticides.” If Catholic pharmacists along with Catholic physicians and nurses pledged to cease their complicity with chemical means of abortion, a new era would dawn signaling a fresh love and respect for innocent preborn human life.

    Dr. Kuhar summarizes his study: “Clearly the present atmosphere surrounding the pharmacy profession does not bode well for preborn babies as the New Abortionists rush to make and market an increasing number and types of deadly chemicals and devices. Recent published data compiled by PLI analysts reveal that, conservatively, there are abut 9.6 to 14.3 million chemical, mechanical and surgical abortions yearly in the United States alone.” Hence, instead of saying that we have nearly 1.5 million abortions in our country every year, we should state instead that the number of abortions is between 10 and 15 million!
Is there anything that can be done to stop this bloodbath? Again, Dr. Kuhar: “A prescription for victory in this battle for the basic right to life must include much prayer, active education of the health professions and the public by pharmacists, proactive membership in groups like PLI, and local pro-life groups, as well as boycotting the products of those New Abortionists who insist on making chemicals and devices which kill our preborn brothers and sisters. The ordinary consumer, as well, must let the New Abortionists know they will not monetarily support the chemical and mechanical destruction of our nation’s most precious resource and its future, and then consumers must follow through and act accordingly, even if this means some minor inconveniences. Vote economically with your feet!”

    Prayer and good work will make the difference. Join daily in praying the Plea to the Everliving God for the Preborn: “Lord God, our eternal Father, we come to Your Throne, full of awe and reverence at your saving power. Through our Savior and Brother Jesus Christ, we beg You to help us stop the widespread slaughter of preborn life in our land. May our love for our innocent brothers and sisters help us provide all human life with protection under our civil laws. We fervently pray that all surgical and chemical abortions and contraception will immediately cease in our beloved country, the United States of America. We know that through the intercession of Mary our Mother, Chosen Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and Saint Joseph, Chosen Spouse of Mary, our request will be granted. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

(Free copies of this prayer may be obtained from: Mystical Rose Praesidium, the Legion of Mary, c/o P.O. Box 285, Gettysburg, SD 57442-02285.)

Father Mangan is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.