Catholicism Affirms Life Begins at Conception

Intro

In the abortion debate today, one of two claims is made in favor of abortion.  Either the unborn child is not a human life or it is a less important life not worth protecting.

I want to point out that these arguments are not modern.  In fact the Church has been combating them for 2000 years.  And in this post I will explore what the Church has said about the sacredness of human life since it was founded by Jesus Christ.


The Teaching of the Church

Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about it:

"Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life." ~ CCC 2270

And here is a sampling of the verses in the Bible that testify to life beginning at conception:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you." ~ Jeremiah 1:5

"Your hands have formed me and fashioned me; will you then turn and destroy me?Oh, remember that you fashioned me from clay! Will you then bring me down to dust again?Did you not pour me out as milk, and thicken me like cheese? With skin and flesh you clothed me, with bones and sinews knit me together.Grace and favor you granted me, and your providence has preserved my spirit." ~ Job 10:8-12

"You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb.I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth." ~ Psalms 139:13-15

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." ~ Luke 1:41:42

"...He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,..." ~ Luke 1:15

Conclusions

The Catholic Church has always believed that life was sacred, even when it was in the womb.  This belief is reinforced by the Bible, 2000 years of Tradition, and observation of natural law.

This means we now have the law, the Church, and science all agreeing that abortion ends a human life.  Raise these facts!

Do not allow people to get away with calling the precious gift of new human life that is an unborn baby anything else.

It is not "just a fetus".  It is not "the flesh".  It is a baby.  It is a human being.  It is a precious gift.  It has been so since conception.  It deserves to be protected.  And it deserves to be loved.


Keep Pursuing

Additional Materials

This post is part of a mini-series on when life begins.