July 2, 2006
Excommunication for Embryonic Stem-Cell Scientists?
Last week Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo called for excommunication of scientists involved in embryonic stem cell research. Excommunication for those not aware is not widely used in the Church today, but can occur automatically for those involved in certain activities. For example, doctors who perform an abortion essentially excommunicate themselves by performing the procedure (as do the women receiving the abortion). The Cardinal is calling for a similar situation for those scientists involved in embryonic stem cell research, which destroys the child just as an abortion does.
Christian teaching has held that life begins at conception (not implantation, not birth). So an egg and sperm combine to form a baby that simply has not been born. This embryo has the same right to life that we each have after birth. Killing the embryo through abortion is murder just as killing a week old baby would be. There is no difference between abortion and embryonic stem cell research, so I believe the Cardinal is absolutely correct.
Does this really matter in practical terms? I'm not sure. Frankly the Church has been very clear on the problems and sin involved in embryonic stem cell research, so the Catholic scientists performing this action probably aren't serious about their faith. However it does help the Church explain the seriousness of the action and clarify her understanding of the sin involved. In other words, it removes all excuses which might help some scientists to reconsider their actions and will help the Church explain more clearly her position.
Excommunication is the highest spiritual penalty the Church can attach to a sin. As the Encyclopedia of Catholic Doctrine notes:
As with all penalties in the Church, the purpose of an excommunication is "medicinal," that is, to bring about the repentance of the sinner. Repentance makes absolution from the excommunication possible (CCC 1463). If a person repents, the excommunication will always be lifted; but until this is done, he or she is barred from receiving even the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, and from all the other sacraments.
In other words, excommunication breaks your bonds to God and prevents you from receiving any of the sacraments until you repent of the sin. Other sins that incur automatic excommunication are apostasy, heresy, and the procuring or performing of an abortion or cooperation in an abortion that is necessary to its being performed. There are a variety of factors, such as ignorance, that may remove imputability.
There is a war in this world against life and it's good to see the Church again point out one of those attacks on life - the gift from God.
God bless,
Jay
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Forgive my ignorance on this point, but what is the difference between committing a mortal sin and incurring excommunication?
The wording suggests that some mortal sins would not incur an excommunication. Hence my question as to how they are different. I was under the impression that those in mortal sin were already barred from all Sacraments until they repented of all mortal sins.
On the other hand, maybe I have it totally backwards in thinking that excommunication is a special kind of mortal sin where not all mortal sins incur excommunication. Can excommunication be incurred even when there is no mortal sin?
For example, if someone acts in ignorance and performs / receives an abortion, the sin might not be mortal. Does this then say that regardless of knowledge, the excommunication still applies?
Posted by: Broken Record at July 4, 2006 4:58 PMBR
Aren't there forms of excommunication that require more than absolution for reinstatement into full communion vs mortal sin which can be brought up in the confessional? I mean if the SSPX leaders (schismatics) went to confession with a priest and made up, wouldn't they still need to make it right with the magesterium? I dunno good question.
In Love
when we were one
Posted by: when we were one at July 13, 2006 10:04 AMI think I found the answer to my own question.
Committing mortal sin is like committing a crime and excommunication is like being put in jail.
Posted by: Burnt Marshwiggle at July 13, 2006 3:09 PM
