U.S. Catholic Church Says There Is ‘Moral Danger’ In Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine

Catholic leaders of Saint Louis Yes New Orleans they tell their parishioners that the Johnson & johnson against the coronavirus a “moral risks», Because it is produced using a cultured cell line derived from an aborted fetus.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans says that the decision to receive the vaccine or not is a matter of individual consciousness. In a statement released last week, the The archdiocese did not explicitly recommend that Catholics not take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but added that Catholics should choose vaccines produced by Moderna or Pfizer, if available..

The Archdiocese of Saint Louis Tuesday, encouraged Catholics to get vaccinated Pfizer The Modern and avoid that of Johnson & johnson if possible. As the declaration of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, of the Saint Louis stressed that Catholics can receive this vaccine “no fault if no other is available“.

While he did not dispute the assertion by church officials that an abortion-derived cultured cell line is used for production, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement on Tuesday reiterating that there is no fetal tissue in the vaccine..

The vaccine Johnson & johnson against coronavirus is produced using a inert influenza virus, a adenovirus, with the same technology used to produce a successful Ebola vaccine. The adenovirus It is grown using what is called an immortalized cell culture, and then is extracted and purified.

to exist various types of cell lines created decades ago using fetal tissue and widely used in medical production, but the cells in these rows currently these are clones of the original cells, not the original tissue.

In January, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement that the cell lines “arising from abortion”Were used to test vaccines for Modern Yes Pfizer, but not in its development and production.

Statements from the archdiocese renewed religious discussions about the vaccine and the use of cells derived from abortions. In December, Vatican he said that “it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines derived from aborted fetuses“In research and in the production process when there are no vaccines”ethically flawless»Available to the public.

Pope Francisco he repeatedly referred to the need to ensure that vaccines are widely available, especially for the poor and marginalized. And last month, a decree signed by the governor of Vatican City He said Vatican employees who choose not to be vaccinated without a proven medical reason could be penalized, even in the event of dismissal.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans released his statement on Friday, the eve of US Food and Drug Administration give the green light to the use of Johnson & johnson in the country.

To a question asked on Tuesday about the declaration of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards -A Democrat who opposes abortion-, underlined the need for people to use vaccines approved to stop the spread of the virus.

Edwards He said he spoke with the Archbishop on Sunday Gregory Aymond about the statement. “I don’t think your statement completely tells Catholics not to use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Edwards said.

“I encourage everyone to take the first vaccine available“, He added.

He pointed to a statement released on Monday by the Bishop of Red Stick, Michael Duca.

Duca admitted the existence of “moral concernsAbout the newly approved vaccine. But, he added, “If for a reasonable circumstance you can only get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you must do so for your own safety and for the common good.“.

It is similar to the directive of the January Episcopal Conference. “Since COVID-19 can cause serious health risks, it may be morally acceptable to receive the vaccine that uses cell lines derived from abortion if no other vaccine comparable in terms of safety and efficacy is unrelated. with abortions is not available.Says the guideline.

Vatican approval

The Vatican has described the vaccines against the coronavirus as “morally acceptable” although for them they “used cell lines from aborted fetuses”, a controversial theory and partly rejected by science.

During the last week of December 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Posted a note, approved by Pope Francis, in which he takes a position on the debate on whether the various SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccines were developed using abortion cell lines.

In this sense, he stressed that when “ethically flawless” vaccines are not available it is “morally acceptable to use COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines and aborted fetuses in their research and production process.”

The reason for this position of the Congregation, led by the Spaniard Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, is that the cooperation between those who use vaccines and the “evil” of abortion from which these cells come is “remote”.

(With information from AP and EFE) .-

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