Day 295: The Wound of Abortion

Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law. CCC 2271

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses one of the most egregious violations of the Fifth Commandment: abortion. To intentionally murder a child in its mother's womb is an evil act no better than the abominable practices of the followers of Molech (Jer 32:35). God knew each of us before we were even formed in the womb (Jer 1:5). Calling what's in the womb "embryo" or "fetus" that doesn't change the fact that these Greek and Latin words essentially mean "child," which Scripture teaches that like all of us, are made in the image of God (Gen 1:27). To perform or assist in abortion, is just as gravely sinful and is also an automatic excommunication under Canon Law (CCC 2272). Finally, IVF is also gravely sinful, given that it seeks to "produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material" (CCC 2275).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes why society must protect every embryo:

The inalienable right to life of every human individual from the first moment of conception is a constitutive element of civil society and its legislation. When the State does not place its power at the service of the rights of all and in particular of the more vulnerable, including unborn children, the very foundations of a State based on law are undermined. (#472)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

We recognize that abortion has two victims. There is the one who is dead and the one who is wounded, the child himself or herself, and the mother. Abortion also has other victims, including society at large, which has been wounded by abortion. Since the damage does not end with the child and the mother but actually wounds our entire culture, that is one reason why the Church has attached the canonical penalty. It is not to limit God's mercy but simply to highlight the reality of the injurious nature of this sin. (p. 106)

Finally, Fr. Mark-Mary has a great video on Satan's lies about contraception, abortion, and IVF: