A Balancing Act

10-24-2021Pastor's LetterFr. John Bonavitacola

Dear Friends,

Last year mask mandates were inserted into our normal routines. No matter which side of the issue you took, you were sure to know others who took the opposite position. That sadly led to tension, hostility and much worse between individuals, in families and communities at large. And now we have a mandate redux with the COVID-19 vaccine. And many of you have asked, “what does Catholic moral teaching have to say about vaccines and mandates?” As a pastor it is not my role to argue pro or con for the medical efficacy of the vaccine but to offer moral and pastoral guidance in light of the teachings of our Faith.

There is a lot to unwind here, so bear with me. In general, we all have a moral obligation to participate in the common good. So, for instance we pay taxes to help maintain public order and safety with police, fire and sanitation departments etc. And we are also morally obliged to help maintain public health by not knowingly or intentionally spreading infectious disease. That can be as simple as covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough. But it also can mean participating in vaccinations. By doing so you are helping to stop the spread of infectious disease and in fact some vaccines have been so successful that they have wiped out some diseases, for example small pox. So, as a general principle, Catholic teaching supports the use of vaccines and even encourages it as one way of participating in the common good.

The question is also being asked, “does Catholic teaching support an individual’s right to refuse a vaccine?” Yes, because the Church also teaches that no one should be compelled against their will to take an action that would violate their conscience, if it is well-formed and well-informed. In the case of the current COVID-19 vaccine there are some well-founded, legitimate moral concerns, which is why some are objecting to being vaccinated.

First it is an experimental vaccine (the FDA did not approve it despite what you have heard, the vaccine being put into people’s arms in the US is still under emergency authorization. What they approved is the next generation of the COVID-19 vaccine but that is not in use in the US. Their “approval” was a bit of a sleight of hand.) No one can be compelled to take an experimental vaccine or drug according to Catholic teaching and even according to the FDA ethical guidelines.) Secondly this vaccine did use fetal tissue from an aborted fetus. The tissue being used was from an aborted fetus from the 1970’s but the cell line has been constantly reproduced since then. Many vaccines (including many childhood vaccines) do use tissue from aborted fetuses and the US Bishops have been objecting to it for many years and asking manufacturers of vaccines to use other tissue. In the case of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines this fetal tissue was used in the testing or confirmatory stage of development but not in production. In the case of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine it was used in the actual production of their vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccines currently in use are morally tainted because of this.

When that is the case, we have a moral obligation to use an alternative that is not morally tainted, if one is available. In this case no alternatives are available and since that is the case the Bishops have stated that one can licitly take the vaccine under protest. This would be considered remote material cooperation with evil. As you can see the fetal tissue cell line that was originally procured from an abortion is far in the past and our participation is also far removed from the process. But still we don't ever want to normalize or justify immoral or evil means to justify the ends. Abortion is always a grave evil and the instrumental use of human beings even for good ends should never be condoned, hence if taken, taken under protest. It is why we should insist that pharmaceutical companies use ethical and moral means to develop treatments.

That being said, no one is ever obliged to take a vaccine in general. And if someone should object to being vaccinated then accommodation should be made. This is how conscientious objection works. Based on a wellformed and well-informed conscience an individual may object to participating in certain actions or behaviors. The classic example is conscripted military service. If a person objects to taking up arms against another even in defense of the common good, they are granted an exemption but with a caveat: they are still required to serve the common good in a non-combatant role.

The principle of conscientious objection is a long-held principle in Catholic moral teaching and also in our Western jurisprudence. A healthy society finds ways to accommodate moral objections to serious issues.

But as you can see there is a tension between the common good and an individual who conscientiously objects. Resolving that tension requires a compromise or to strike a bargain. For instance, while you may be granted an exemption from military service you will still have to serve the same amount of time in some civilian role or position. Likewise, with exemptions from the COVID vaccine you may be required to be tested regularly for the virus or take other protective measures. If you conscientiously object you have to be willing to accept some sort of substitute requirement.

That is generally how it should work. Admittedly there are situations when excessive coercion is used to make an individual comply such as detention or imprisonment or loss of livelihood. That is why when we conscientiously object, we have to be prepared for the consequences. In a reasonable society those consequences would be some sort of even trade-off. But as history shows power puts a blindfold on reason and those who refuse to violate their conscience can suffer unreasonably.

While Catholic teaching supports the use of vaccines it doesn't support the involuntary use of vaccines. So, we find ourselves in a position where individuals may licitly take this vaccine under protest but also where individuals, based on their conscience may morally object to taking the vaccine. And remember part of our participation in the common good of society is upholding moral rights (an individual’s right to conscientious objection) as well as moral responsibilities (an individual’s duty to protect public health). During this Pandemic we are being stretched to do both at the same time. A balancing act that only love, tolerance and understanding can prevent us from tipping over into acrimony.

Love, Fr. John B.