http://www.cogforlife.org/hepbexempt.htm
Should the Catholic Church Object to The Hepatitis-B Vaccine?
Debi Vinnedge
Many articles have been written about the use of aborted fetal tissue in the production of several childhood vaccines. Likewise, many statements by ethicists have been mixed on whether it is morally permissible to use these vaccines. Then how could a vaccine, which is produced in a perfectly acceptable and ethical manner be considered by most parents to be contradictory to Catholic Church teaching?
The Hepatitis-B vaccine is now routinely given to newborn infants before leaving the hospital and school age children. It is developed using recombinant DNA technology and a yeast protein. Sounds ethical enough, doesn’t it? Unlike its’ cousin - the Hepatitis-A vaccine, Hepatitis-B uses no aborted fetal tissue in its production. But it is not the vaccine ingredients that is causing morally minded parents to rethink giving it to their children. It is the manner in which the disease itself is transmitted. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Hepatitis B is only contracted through multiple sexual partners, street IV drug users or infected parents who pass the disease on to their unborn child. Parents object and rightfully so, because when the vaccine is given to their teenage children especially, it makes a statement condoning immoral behavior (If you take this vaccine you are free to do what you please) It’s very much like giving your children condoms in order to protect them from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). And both are about equally non-effective, we might add, but that is an entirely different story.
The Church is quite clear on its position of using condoms to prevent pregnancy and would certainly not want its members, even those beyond child-bearing years to use them in order to prevent STDs. So when a Catholic school, in attempting to comply with state laws that mandate these vaccines requires their students to have the Hepatitis-B shot, they are in fact, condoning illicit sexual behavior. And such action gives rise to great scandal.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, "Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil" (No. 2284) Whether or not the child actually commits the evil act is inconsequential. The silent approval has been given and in this case, both the parent and school would share accountability for any transgression that might follow. "Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged" (No. 2287).
The Catholic Church further teaches that it is the parents’ right and duty to raise their children in accordance with their faith, to set a good example for them and to teach them right from wrong. It is in fact, the parents’ responsibility to do this – not society’s. If the school tries to usurp this privilege, again they are contradicting both the parental and Church authority.
“The fecundity of conjugal love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend to their moral education and their spiritual formation. The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.” (No. 2221)
Based on this clear understanding of parental roles in a Catholic family, one would not think anyone should have a problem abstaining from the Hepatitis-B vaccine. However, in many cases Catholic school authorities have denied parents the right to refuse this vaccine even when they have obtained valid State-approved religious exemptions. This has left parents with the option of either accepting the blind dictatorship of the school administrator in order for the child to attend or removing them from the Catholic school system entirely. In the case of one parent who chose to remove her child from school rather than use the vaccine, the impressionable 6th grader was left so shocked, hurt and angered by the actions of the Catholic school he abandoned his faith entirely.
When the parents tried to explain the damage that was being done to their child who was old enough to fully understand the implications of using the vaccine, the school official coldly told them, “Some children are just not meant to have a Catholic education.” Not only is such a statement heartless and unwarranted, it completely ignores what the Church teaches about Catholic education and parental rights and duties in raising their children.
“As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental. As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing schools that will best help them in their task as Christian educators. Public authorities have the duty of guaranteeing this parental right and of ensuring the concrete conditions for its exercise.” (No.2229)
If the Catholic schools fail to allow this fundamental Catholic entitlement they are acting no better than other transgressors from the faith who choose to ignore the truth and instead seek their own agenda. And because the Magisterium has not spoken directly to this issue, both school administrators and parents have been left struggling to understand the Church’s position. In several states Catholic parents have been forced to take the issue of the mandated Hepatitis-B vaccine to court, in order to protect and defend Catholic teaching. While in each case the courts have ruled in favor of the parents, it would never have been necessary to take such measures if there were unambiguous directives in place from the bishops. With the emergence of more and more vaccines to treat diseases like HIV and AIDS on the horizon, the problems can only worsen. The Church needs to act now and install clear guidelines not only for the benefits of Catholic families, but also for the continuance of a formidable and equitable Catholic education system in America. Without it, both parents and the Catholic faith are sure to suffer.
Note: Authoritative teaching of the Catholic Church allows for parental rights to exempt from the Hepatitis-B vaccine since the use of it would give permission for immoral behavior and thereby, violates Catholic Church teaching, especially in the directive to parents. For help in filing a religious exemption, click here.
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