Cumo‌‌1 

‌ ‌

Trinity‌‌Cumo‌  ‌

Professor‌‌Pearl‌  ‌

Faith,‌‌Religion,‌‌and‌‌Society‌‌   ‌

December‌‌1,‌‌2018‌‌   ‌

 ‌

Vaccinations‌‌With‌‌the‌‌Use‌‌of‌‌Fetal‌‌Tissue‌‌from‌‌Abortions‌  ‌

When‌‌it‌‌comes‌‌to‌‌understanding‌‌vaccinations‌‌you‌‌have‌‌to‌‌know‌‌the‌‌history.‌‌Dating‌‌back‌‌to‌‌
 

the‌‌17th‌‌century,‌‌Edward‌‌Jenner‌‌is‌‌considered‌‌the‌‌founder‌‌of‌‌vaccinology‌‌in‌‌the‌‌West.‌‌After‌‌he‌‌ 

inoculated‌‌a‌‌13-‌‌year‌‌old‌‌boy‌‌with‌‌vaccinia‌‌virus‌‌(cowpox),‌‌and‌‌demonstrated‌‌immunity‌‌to‌‌
 

smallpox.‌‌In‌‌1798,‌‌the‌‌first‌‌smallpox‌‌vaccine‌‌was‌‌developed.‌‌Before‌‌vaccines,‌‌many‌‌children‌‌ 

suffered‌‌from‌‌debilitating‌‌illnesses‌‌such‌‌as,‌‌measles,‌‌polio,‌‌smallpox‌‌and‌‌diphtheria.‌‌Vaccines‌‌are‌‌
 

substances‌‌that‌‌prepare‌‌the‌‌immune‌‌system‌‌to‌‌fight‌‌a‌‌disease‌‌causing‌‌germ‌‌or‌‌other‌‌pathogen‌‌by‌‌ 

imitating‌‌an‌‌infection.‌‌Each‌‌vaccine‌‌contains‌‌a‌‌small‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌the‌‌diseased‌‌germ,‌‌and‌‌can‌‌contain‌ 

antibiotics,‌‌aluminum‌‌salts,‌‌formaldehyde,‌‌and‌‌other‌‌ingredients‌‌such‌‌as‌‌sugars,‌‌amino‌‌acids‌‌and‌‌ 

protein.‌‌Over‌‌the‌‌last‌‌century,‌‌vaccinations‌‌have‌‌been‌‌one‌‌of‌‌the‌‌best‌‌ways‌‌to‌‌prevent‌‌and‌‌
 

eliminate‌‌diseases.‌‌Yet‌‌the‌‌benefits‌‌of‌‌vaccinations‌‌are‌‌being‌‌threatened‌‌by‌‌the‌‌hesitance‌‌to‌‌
 

vaccinate‌‌young‌‌children.‌‌Rubella‌‌is‌‌one‌‌of‌‌the‌‌shots‌‌that‌‌is‌‌made‌‌through‌‌the‌‌help‌‌of‌‌fetal‌‌tissue.‌‌ 

Children‌‌infected‌‌with‌‌rubella‌‌would‌‌develop‌‌a‌‌mild‌‌rash‌‌on‌‌the‌‌face.‌‌Some‌‌children‌‌would‌‌also‌‌
 

develop‌‌swelling‌‌of‌‌the‌‌lymph‌‌glands‌‌behind‌‌the‌‌ear.‌‌A‌‌study‌‌found‌‌that‌‌many‌‌children‌‌were‌‌born‌‌ 

with‌‌congenital‌‌cataracts‌‌and‌‌blindness‌‌following‌‌an‌‌outbreak‌‌of‌‌rubella.‌‌This‌‌was‌‌evidence‌‌that‌‌ 

rubella‌‌could‌‌permanently‌‌damage‌‌the‌‌developing‌‌fetus.‌‌Before‌‌the‌‌vaccine,‌‌each‌‌year‌‌about‌‌ 

20,000‌‌babies‌‌were‌‌harmed‌‌when‌‌their‌‌mothers‌‌were‌‌infected‌‌during‌‌pregnancy.‌A
‌ n‌‌example‌‌of‌‌
 
 Cumo‌‌2 ‌ ‌

how‌‌this‌‌disease‌‌is‌‌distributed;‌‌a‌‌child‌‌who‌‌has‌‌not‌‌vaccinated‌‌contracts‌‌rubella‌‌while‌‌his‌‌mother‌‌is‌‌
 

pregnant,‌‌this‌‌unborn‌‌child‌‌is‌‌then‌‌infected‌‌and‌‌born‌‌with‌‌birth‌‌defects.‌‌
   ‌

The‌‌two‌‌sides‌‌of‌‌this‌‌ongoing‌‌debate‌‌both‌‌have‌‌valid‌‌reasonings.‌‌Justified‌‌off‌‌on‌‌the‌‌
 

common‌‌good,‌‌human‌‌dignity,‌‌and‌‌social‌‌justice.‌‌The‌‌side‌‌that‌‌is‌‌against‌‌vaccinations‌‌has‌‌the‌‌point‌‌
 

that‌‌they‌‌are‌‌directed‌‌towards‌‌vaccinations‌‌leading‌‌to‌‌other‌‌diseases;‌‌such‌‌as‌‌autism,‌‌and‌‌the‌‌fact‌‌ 

that‌‌some‌‌vaccinations‌‌were‌‌brought‌‌up‌‌through‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌aborted‌‌fetuses‌‌tissue.‌‌Some‌‌of‌‌the‌‌
 

shots‌‌that‌‌have‌‌been‌‌manufactured‌‌using‌‌fetal‌‌tissue‌‌include‌‌rubella,‌‌and‌‌Hepatitis‌‌A,‌‌WI-‌‌38,‌‌and‌‌
 

MRC-5;‌ ‌“t‌he‌‌WI-38‌‌cell‌‌line‌‌‌is‌‌a‌‌human‌‌diploid‌‌fibroblast‌‌cell‌‌line‌‌derived‌‌from‌‌a ‌‌

three-month-old‌‌fetus‌‌aborted‌‌therapeutically‌‌in‌‌1962‌‌‌in‌‌the‌‌US.‌‌Another‌‌cell‌‌line,‌M
‌ RC-5‌,‌‌was‌‌ 

derived‌‌from‌‌lung‌‌fibroblasts‌‌of‌‌a‌1‌ 4-week‌‌old‌‌fetus‌‌‌in‌‌1966‌‌in‌‌the‌‌United‌‌Kingdom.”‌‌‌This‌‌creates‌‌ 

an‌‌ethical‌‌problem‌‌for‌‌the‌‌Catholic‌‌community.‌‌In‌‌some‌‌cases,‌‌Catholic‌‌schools‌‌will‌‌develop‌‌ 

different‌‌policies‌‌regarding‌‌an‌‌exemption‌‌from‌‌these‌‌shots.‌‌Defying‌‌the‌‌common‌‌good‌‌if‌‌parents‌‌
 

were‌‌to‌‌send‌‌their‌‌unvaccinated‌‌children‌‌to‌‌school‌‌puts‌‌others‌‌at‌‌a‌‌greater‌‌risk‌‌of‌‌infection.‌‌The‌‌ 

side‌‌that‌‌is‌‌in‌‌agreement‌‌with‌‌vaccinations‌‌believes‌‌that‌‌it‌‌is‌‌morally,‌‌and‌‌ethically‌‌just.‌‌The‌‌new‌‌ 

advancements‌‌in‌‌the‌‌medical‌‌field‌‌allow‌‌us‌‌to‌‌protect‌‌ourselves,‌‌and‌‌our‌‌children‌‌from‌‌unwanted‌‌
 

diseases.‌‌Vaccines‌‌do‌‌not‌‌contain‌‌aborted‌‌fetal‌‌tissue;‌‌“some‌‌vaccines‌‌are‌‌made‌‌in‌‌cell‌‌lines‌‌that‌ 

originated‌‌from‌‌fetuses‌‌that‌‌were‌‌aborted‌‌over‌‌40‌‌years‌‌ago.‌‌The‌‌descended‌‌cells‌‌don’t‌‌remain‌‌in‌‌ 

the‌‌final‌‌vaccine‌‌after‌‌it‌‌has‌‌been‌‌purified”.‌‌
   ‌

After‌‌reading‌‌more‌‌articles‌‌about‌‌how‌‌the‌‌Catholic‌‌Social‌‌Teachings‌‌feel‌‌on‌‌the‌‌subject‌‌of‌‌
 

using‌‌aborted‌‌fetal‌‌tissue.‌‌The‌‌main‌‌takeaway‌‌from‌‌the‌‌Catholic‌‌social‌‌teaching‌‌includes‌‌releasing‌‌ 

a‌‌new‌‌vaccination‌‌without‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌fetal‌‌tissue,‌‌and‌‌an‌‌exemption‌‌from‌‌the‌‌shots,‌‌and‌‌the‌‌
 

morality‌‌of‌‌taking‌‌care‌‌of‌‌your‌‌children.‌‌The‌‌Secretariat‌‌of‌‌Pro-Life‌‌Activities‌‌released‌‌an‌‌article‌‌
 
 Cumo‌‌3 ‌ ‌

back‌‌in‌‌2015‌‌about‌‌the‌‌conscience‌‌exemption‌‌from‌‌vaccines‌‌based‌‌on‌‌fetal‌‌tissue‌‌abortions.‌‌The‌‌
 

concerned‌‌parents‌‌should‌‌urge‌‌the‌‌Catholic‌‌Medical‌‌Association‌‌to‌‌make‌‌an‌‌alternative‌‌vaccination‌‌
 

for‌‌these‌‌diseases‌‌that‌‌do‌‌not‌‌use‌‌aborted‌‌fetal‌‌tissue,‌‌making‌‌it‌‌more‌‌widely‌‌available‌‌so‌‌the‌‌
 

catholic‌‌community‌‌can‌‌keep‌‌their‌‌kids‌‌healthy‌‌and‌‌happy.‌‌“In‌‌cases‌‌where‌‌no‌‌alternative‌‌is‌‌ 

currently‌‌available,‌‌the‌‌Academy‌‌said‌‌that‌‌Catholics‌‌may‌‌licitly‌‌accept‌‌vaccination‌‌for‌‌themselves‌‌
 

and‌‌their‌‌children‌‌using‌‌a‌‌vaccine‌‌based‌‌on‌‌tissue‌‌from‌‌abortion‌‌or‌‌may‌‌refuse‌‌the‌‌vaccine.”‌‌The‌‌
 

Catholic‌‌Church‌‌permits‌‌the‌‌temporary‌‌use‌‌of‌‌vaccines‌‌generated‌‌using‌‌aborted‌‌fetal‌‌tissue‌‌to‌‌ 

protect‌‌children‌‌from‌‌preventable‌‌diseases‌‌until‌‌an‌‌alternative‌‌vaccination‌‌is‌‌available.‌‌Pertaining‌‌ 

to‌‌the‌‌common‌‌good‌‌Paul‌‌J.‌‌Carson‌‌said‌‌“for‌‌its‌‌part,‌‌Catholic‌‌social‌‌teaching‌‌entails‌‌a‌‌duty‌‌to‌‌
 

vaccinate‌‌in‌‌order‌‌to‌‌protect‌‌the‌‌vulnerable.”‌‌There‌‌is‌‌no‌‌catholic‌‌teaching‌‌that‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌these‌‌ 

vaccines‌‌is‌‌sinful,‌‌some‌‌schools‌‌cannot‌‌allow‌‌catholic‌‌parents‌‌to‌‌claim‌‌a‌‌religious‌‌exemption‌‌from‌‌ 

the‌‌requirement‌‌of‌‌immunization.‌‌After‌‌reading‌V
‌ accines‌‌and‌‌the‌‌Right‌‌of‌‌Conscience‌‌‌by‌‌Edward‌‌ 

J.‌‌Furton,‌‌he‌‌brings‌‌up‌‌an‌‌amazing‌‌point.‌‌No‌‌one‌‌can‌‌exercise‌‌the‌‌right‌‌of‌‌conscience‌‌for‌‌someone‌‌ 

else.‌‌You‌‌are‌‌entitled‌‌to‌‌your‌‌own‌‌opinion‌‌and‌‌can‌‌make‌‌your‌‌own‌‌decision.‌‌As‌‌a‌‌parent,‌‌you‌‌have‌‌
 

to‌‌think‌‌and‌‌act‌‌for‌‌the‌‌child’s‌‌life‌‌and‌‌well-being.‌‌You‌‌personally‌‌have‌‌the‌‌choice‌‌of‌‌whether‌‌or‌‌ 

not‌‌to‌‌get‌‌these‌‌vaccinations.‌‌“We‌‌should‌‌not‌‌allow‌‌the‌‌one‌‌who‌‌carried‌‌out‌‌an‌‌abortion‌‌in‌‌the‌‌past‌‌ 

to‌‌hold‌‌our‌‌children‌‌hostage‌‌in‌‌the‌‌present.”‌‌Some‌‌religions‌‌have‌‌different‌‌views‌‌on‌‌vaccinations.‌‌
 

For‌‌instance,‌‌the‌‌Church‌‌of‌‌Christ,‌‌and‌‌scientist‌‌is‌‌the‌‌most‌‌prominent,‌‌they‌‌believe‌‌they‌‌can‌‌heal‌‌
 

all‌‌things‌‌through‌‌prayer‌‌rather‌‌than‌‌through‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌medication.‌‌Understanding‌‌that‌‌this‌‌is‌‌the‌‌
 

way‌‌they‌‌are‌‌taught‌‌and‌‌choose‌‌to‌‌believe‌‌it‌‌does‌‌pertain‌‌to‌‌human‌‌dignity,‌‌but‌‌more‌‌of‌‌a‌‌
 

subsidiarity‌‌standpoint;‌‌everyone‌‌was‌‌created‌‌in‌‌the‌‌image‌‌of‌‌God‌‌and‌‌therefore‌‌should‌‌let‌‌god‌‌ 
 Cumo‌‌4 ‌ ‌

decide‌‌to‌‌hear‌‌their‌‌prayers‌‌and‌‌help.‌‌Inside‌‌the‌‌three‌‌religions‌‌studied‌‌in‌‌class,‌‌they‌‌all‌‌do‌‌not‌‌ 

follow‌‌a‌‌strict‌‌belief‌‌in‌‌vaccinations.‌‌
   ‌

I‌‌believe‌‌that‌‌everyone‌‌is‌‌entitled‌‌to‌‌their‌‌own‌‌beliefs‌‌and‌‌opinions.‌‌However,‌‌when‌‌it‌‌ 

comes‌‌to‌‌the‌‌greater‌‌good‌‌of‌‌people's‌‌well-being‌‌there‌‌shouldn't‌‌be‌‌a‌‌debate.‌‌Pertaining‌‌to‌‌the‌‌ 

morality‌‌of‌‌vaccinations,‌‌it's‌‌about‌‌what's‌‌doing‌‌right‌‌for‌‌the‌‌others‌‌around‌‌you,‌‌and‌‌improving‌‌the‌‌ 

way‌‌of‌‌life‌‌for‌‌the‌‌people‌‌under‌‌our‌‌care.‌‌After‌‌discovering‌‌that‌‌fetal‌‌tissues‌‌were‌‌used‌‌to‌‌make‌‌
 

some‌‌important‌‌vaccinations‌‌I‌‌was‌‌shocked,‌‌but‌‌after‌‌learning‌‌that‌‌they‌‌don’t‌‌remain‌‌in‌‌the‌‌final‌‌ 

vaccine‌‌after‌‌it‌‌has‌‌been‌‌purified.‌‌Now‌‌I‌‌fully‌‌understand‌‌both‌‌sides‌‌of‌‌the‌‌argument‌‌and‌‌can‌‌ 

understand‌‌the‌‌positives‌‌and‌‌negatives;‌‌I‌‌agree‌‌with‌‌the‌‌Catholic‌‌social‌‌teachings‌‌viewpoint.‌‌With‌‌
 

the‌‌help‌‌of‌‌all‌‌the‌‌new‌‌medical‌‌advancements,‌‌we‌‌have‌‌open‌‌to‌‌us‌‌they‌‌have‌‌come‌‌up‌‌with‌‌ways‌‌to‌‌
 

make‌‌these‌‌vaccinations‌‌without‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌fetal‌‌tissue.‌‌Through‌‌the‌‌regulations‌‌of‌‌new‌‌laws‌‌
 

children‌‌can‌‌be‌‌exempt‌‌from‌‌shots‌‌if‌‌and‌‌only‌‌if‌‌the‌‌state‌‌allows‌‌them‌‌with‌‌a‌‌religious‌‌reason,‌‌but‌‌ 

with‌‌this‌‌comes‌‌a‌‌higher‌‌risk‌‌of‌‌an‌‌epidemic‌‌outbreak.‌‌I‌‌personally‌‌think‌‌that‌‌every‌‌child‌‌should‌‌be‌‌
 

vaccinated‌‌to‌‌prevent‌‌a‌‌bigger‌‌outbreak.‌‌You‌‌are‌‌in‌‌charge‌‌of‌‌your‌‌personal‌‌and‌‌mental‌‌health,‌‌you‌‌
 

are‌‌also‌‌in‌‌charge‌‌of‌‌your‌‌child's‌‌well-being.‌‌Keeping‌‌your‌‌child‌‌healthy‌‌and‌‌strong‌‌through‌‌the‌‌ 

rest‌‌of‌‌their‌‌life‌‌is‌‌your‌‌duty‌‌as‌‌a‌‌parent.‌  ‌

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 Cumo‌‌5 ‌ ‌

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Works‌‌Cited‌‌
   ‌

Aborted‌‌Fetal‌‌Tissue’‌‌and‌‌Vaccines:‌‌Combining‌‌Pseudoscience‌‌and‌‌Religion‌‌to‌‌Demonize‌  ‌

Vaccines.”‌S‌ cience-Based‌‌Medicine‌,‌‌17‌‌Aug.‌‌2015,‌‌
 

sciencebasedmedicine.org/aborted-fetal-tissue-and-vaccines-combining-pseudoscience-and-religi‌

on-to-demonize-vaccines-2/‌  ‌

Conscience‌‌Exemption‌‌for‌‌Vaccines‌‌Based‌‌on‌‌Fetal‌‌Tissue‌‌from‌‌Abortions.”‌‌United‌‌States‌‌
 

Conference‌‌of‌‌Catholic‌‌Bishops‌,‌‌‌Apr.‌‌2007,‌‌
 

www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catholic-education/upload/Vaccines-‌

Conscience-Exemption-updated-April-2015.pdf‌. ‌ ‌

Furton,‌‌Edward‌‌J.‌‌“Vaccines‌‌and‌‌the‌‌Right‌‌of‌‌Conscience‌‌.”‌T
‌ he‌‌National‌‌Catholic‌‌Bioethics‌‌ 

Quarterly‌,‌‌‌2004,‌‌pp.‌‌53–61.,‌‌“Conscience‌‌Exemption‌‌for‌‌Vaccines‌‌Based‌‌on‌‌Fetal‌‌Tissue‌‌
 

from‌‌Abortions.”‌‌United‌‌States‌‌Conference‌‌of‌‌Catholic‌‌Bishops‌‌,‌‌Apr.‌‌2007,‌‌ 

www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/catholic-education/upload/Vaccines-‌

Conscience-Exemption-updated-April-2015.pdf‌. ‌ ‌

Mckenna,‌‌Kyle‌‌Christopher.‌‌“Use‌‌of‌‌Aborted‌‌Fetal‌‌Tissue‌‌in‌‌Vaccines‌‌and‌‌Medical‌‌Research‌‌ 

Obscures‌‌the‌‌Value‌‌of‌‌All‌‌Human‌‌Life.”‌‌The‌‌Linacre‌‌Quarterly‌,‌‌Oct.‌‌2017,‌‌pp.‌‌1–7.,‌‌ 

doi:10.1080/00243639.2017.1375065.‌  ‌