UHND.com - Notre Dame Football, Basketball, & Recruiting

I've posted...and others have as well...the link to Mike Lewis' summary of "Pope Francis and the Personhood Debate"...here are the concluding paragraphs that deal with the RCC's position on "Personhood"...note that there will be edits required to avoid a "timeout" cancelling the whole post.
--------------------
During the papacy of Saint John Paul II, the Magisterium began to insist that we consider personhood as if it begins at the moment of conception, however. In Evangelium Vitae, John Paul taught this forcefully: “The human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life” (60). A few years earlier, the CDF produced a document, Donum Vitae (“Instruction on respect for human life”), which made a similar point: “The human being must be respected – as a person – from the very first instant of his existence” (5.I.1).

Note however, that both the encyclical and the instruction call for the child in the womb “to be respected” as a person from the moment of conception, without definitively teaching that the embryo is a person. Donum Vitae mentions the personhood debate later in the section, stating, “This Congregation is aware of the current debates concerning the beginning of human life, concerning the individuality of the human being and concerning the identity of the human person.” Donum Vitae then quotes from the 1974 CDF document and adds the conclusion, “The Magisterium has not expressly committed itself to an affirmation of a philosophical nature, but it constantly reaffirms the moral condemnation of any kind of procured abortion. This teaching has not been changed and is unchangeable.”

In 2008, this point was again reiterated by the CDF, then led by Cardinal William Levada under Pope Benedict XVI. In the document Dignitas Personae, the Congregation stated, “If Donum vitae, in order to avoid a statement of an explicitly philosophical nature, did not define the embryo as a person, it nonetheless did indicate that there is an intrinsic connection between the ontological dimension and the specific value of every human life” (5).

What does all of this mean? Well, for one thing, it is clear that the Magisterium has acknowledged on multiple occasions that there is a debate about personhood. It is also clear that the Church has not always considered the life of a human person to begin at conception, nor has the Church definitively taught this. That said, the Church has always regarded abortion to be evil from the moment of conception. More recently, the Church has pushed back against the idea that “delayed personhood” is relevant to its position on the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception. It has taught instead that life, from the moment of conception should be treated and respected as a human person. And in this, Pope Francis has always been in line with Catholic Tradition.
-------------------

While the RCC and Pope Francis are definitely trying to emphasize the "respect" for human life at all stages...and appropriately so...it is clear that there is hesitation in definitively stating that Personhood begins at conception...no one has explained why, but the gap is unmistakable. To me it brings to mind that a fair number of pregnancies end before anyone, including the pregnant woman could possibly know it occurred...and others that result in miscarriages very early where it is not obvious to the woman what sex it even is, so what is the RCC to do? In point of fact, nothing is ever done...there are no "Rites" established for such occurrences...no records kept...and virtually no efforts extended to counsel the women involved and attempt to relieve their sadness. As a side note, I recall a friend of ours recounting the anguish she endured trying to be a good Catholic and scooping out the remains of her miscarriage from her toilet. Perhaps stories like that were relayed to Pope Francis and others during their debates on fetal Personhood.

Now, onto the abortion issue...in our imperfect world there are unfortunately too many forced and coerced pregnancies endured by innocent women who never wanted them, and certainly not the potential lifelong physical and/or mental harm they could bring. Because of this reality, I find it impossible to believe that the one true Person in such circumstances would have no recourse to diminish the effects of such an unwanted assault...i.e. be able to choose an abortion. Some women may be able to deal with carrying the pregnancy to term, but not all can...furthermore, we live in a pluralistic society with other faith members who have different beliefs than Catholics...e.g. many Jews believe that Personhood begins at Birth...so the option of abortion must be made available at least up to the term of gestation where 'Viability' is generally accepted . Also, only the woman involved can possibly determine what is endurable and what is not...no outsiders, and certainly not strangers in a court room, can possibly make a fair and objective judgement about such a thing...i.e. it's her decision, and hers only.

I'd also like to comment on the Catechism's paragraph on "Just Wars" (Par 2309) which deals with the intrinsic Evil of Killing...yet sanctions it if certain conditions exist and sufficient Prudential Judgement is exercised in making that discernment. "Why" is such killing allowed?...no one says, but to me the issue involves more than simple existence...People need to be able to live in freedom and if there is sufficient threat to living such a life then such extreme, albeit "Intrinsically Evil" measures can be taken...the same with forced or coerced pregnancies...if the situation involves an innocent woman who never wanted such a pregnancy, then she should be able to exercise her own "Prudential Judgement", hopefully with the counsel of a Pastor, Doctor, Family Member, and make her own decision...unencumbered by any government intrusion.


Link: https://wherepeteris.com/pope-francis-and-the-personhood-debate/