Back in December, I published a summary of an academic article from the National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly on why COVID vaccines were ordinary means. Not only did I summarize it, but after communicating briefly with one of the authors, I decided to write a colloquy in response to it. It was just published. This colloquy makes their already solid argument even stronger. In other words, it is even clearer that COVID vaccines are ordinary means. Ordinary means cannot be skipped over preference or similar, but have a degree of moral obligation behind them.
I will take a bit from the prior article and a bit from this colloquy on each of the two points I make in my colloquy (official, if paywalled).
COVID Vaccines are Ordinary Means
Here are some key lines from McTavish and Eberl: (If you want more please read my summary or their article.)
This preliminary analysis of COVID-19 vaccination reveals that it is beneficial, not too burdensome, and relatively cheap. Thus, it fits the main criteria for an ordinary treatment… Nonetheless, we consider the obligatoriness of vaccination to arise not from the mere fact that it could be considered ordinary but from the fact that to be vaccinated is a good act. […]
We contend that vaccination is ethically obligatory, not so much because it is ordinary, although our analysis above shows that it is, but rather because it is a good act. In the same way we are obliged to help the poor, to feed the hungry, and perform other corporal works of mercy.
You can read more in my summary or their article.
My First Point: Better sourcing
McTavish and Eberl quote me on COVID vaccines being more remote cooperation than things we accept for much lesser goods than disease prevention. In doing so, I thought they could have quoted a more relevant piece in my serious of articles on this. I suggest “12 Things Less-Remote Cooperation in Evil Than COVID Vaccines,” December 18, 2020, and “If Any Drug Tested on HEK-293 Is Immoral, Goodbye Modern Medicine,” January 28, 2021. The former summarizes in conclusion:
This leaves us with two options:
[1] Realize that some very remote cooperation in evil is inevitable. Try to avoid it when I can but not worry much when I can’t.
[2] Go and become a subsistence farmer and hermit. Even contemplative religious communities, however, can’t check the sourcing of every product they use.
One could even debate if this latter option is an option for a Catholic. In 1690, the Holy Office condemned various errors of the Jansenists. “It is not licit to follow the [probable] opinion, even the most probable among the probable ones” (DH 2303) was one of the condemned propositions. This was condemning the belief that one had to be 100% certain of the right moral act in circumstances where any doubt arose. It may apply to the rigorist interpretation allowing no cooperation in evil, even very remote cooperation.
You can read more in my piece (official, if paywalled).
My Second Point: Vatican on Fetal Cell Line Testing
McTavish and Eberl sincerely try to apply Vatican statements, but they mistakenly don’t distinguish between vaccines or other medical products grown on fetal cell lines versus those only tested on fetal cell lines. Just testing is much more remote, so less of a moral issue. I note:
In the their 2020 note on Covid vaccines, the CDF uses different terms when indicating vaccines are ethical and when indicating some Catholics might skip vaccines due to the connection to fetal cell lines. When talking about them being ethical, they use “research and production process”: “It is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.” But when talking about those skipping vaccines they refer to “vaccines produced with cell lines from aborted fetuses”: “Those who… for reasons of conscience, refuse vaccines produced with cell lines from aborted fetuses must do their utmost to avoid… becoming vehicles for the transmission of the infectious agent.” The removal of the “research” when talking about those who skip the vaccines, seems to indicate they imagine no Catholic would skip vaccines over the remote connection with abortion in vaccines only tested on fetal cell lines, due to how remote that connection is. Every other document on fetal cell lines and vaccines indicating some Catholics might skip those vaccines over this issue also clearly refer only to those vaccines produced on fetal cell lines, and not those only tested on fetal cell lines.
A further analysis I made showing that the Vatican has never taken issue with vaccines only tested on fetal cell lines can be found here (I cite it in a footnote to this paragraph). This piece goes document by document on every formal teaching document regarding fetal cell lines or vaccines (at least since fetal cell lines were involved in vaccines, I don’t go back to the 1700s and 1800s).
You can read more in my piece (official, if paywalled).
Conclusion: All Catholics Should Vaccinate Against COVID
COVID vaccines are ordinary means, and the Vatican has indicated that the remote connection to abortion is not a valid reason for Catholics to skip them. The science is overwhelming at this point, showing that vaccines reduce deaths without a proportionally serious risk. The years that have gone by since the first approval of COVID vaccines show more and more that there is no issue long term.
I got Moderna for my COVID-19 vaccine. I just had an updated booster in June. I am just watching the CDC for guidance. I have a lot of medical problems, so I follow the immunocompromised protocol. I also am a half time college student and am around a lot of people at school.
If there are breakthrough cases with vaccines, does that change the moral obligation? Or is there a suggestion that one is morally obligated to vaccinate oneself for one’s own protection? What about in a situation where natural immunity exists – what is the argument for a vaccination in addition to the existing natural immunity?
Breakthrough infections are already assumed in this calculation as no vaccine is 100.00% effective. Now if natural immunity is shown, that can change things as the chance of COVID is already somewhat lower; however, both is lower than either alone & may thus still have an obligation in certain circumstances.
I had COVID in late January and early February and needed the full 10 day quarantine. I was out of school for a week and a half. I still got a booster shot in June during my summer vacation. I will be going back to classes on August 28.
Fr. Matthew,
We are very familiar with the Legion. We know one of the priest in your order that was vaccine injured by the Covid shot (Myocarditis), completely healthy prior to. And his physicians told him as well. My nephew, 19, myocarditis, along with 5 other boys from his unit. His father, 56 same. Both of their physicians told them it was from the “vaccine.”
Firstly, I believe in Medical Freedom. If you choose to do this, then by all means that is your choice. You should not be pushing others to do this. In fact, my physician sat on a medical advisory board for Covid and is telling patients the truth of what he knows and is seeing in his practice. I too, as a medical professional can tell you what I am seeing. To push this on people is a very irresponsible.
Secondly, I do not think God would give us aborted fetal cell line vaccines (which they all have) to save his people from disease.
Please respect people’s medical freedoms. And stop using your platform to promote something you are not 100% educated on. It is very dangerous.
With all due respect,
Beth
(I removed links to unreliable sources as I do not link to known liars; I did not remove anything else. For example, here is an analysis of the first source I removed: https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/childrens-health-defense/)
There are some risks from the covid vaccines, but the risks of not vaccinating are substantially higher. Even if you isolate it just to myocarditis, vaccines are safer than covid. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/08/22/covid-19-infection-poses-higher-risk-for-myocarditis-than-vaccines If you look at other negative side effects, covid is substantially worse than the vaccine.
Second, neither of the main 2 US vaccines are “aborted fetal cell line vaccines (which they all have).” They were simply tested on a fetal cell line. That is an extremely remote to the point you can’t shop at most grocery stores, use any electronics, etc. if you are going to go that far in avoiding super remote connections, you could not be making this comment. https://frmatthewlc.com/2020/12/12-things-less-remote-cooperation-in-evil-than-covid-vaccines/ Doing pretty ordinary stuff like buying made in China has as much cooperation as vaccinating whole small cities, yet the good of vaccination is much higher than ost of those.. https://frmatthewlc.com/2021/03/quantifying-cooperation-in-or-appropriation-of-evil/
Known liers?! How about the FACT that pfizer made widespread claims that its vaccine possessed 95% efficacy against infection. You were flat out lied to. But when their cash cow was in jeopardy of the truth getting out they silenced those critical of this lie by calling it “misinformation”
They said it had 95% efficacy against the strain of covid at the time: that is true. Anyone who understands how RNA viruses viruses work would realize this would likely go down on variants. Also, some media did exaggerate it from this strain to all possible covid strains, which was unfortunate misinformation.
I just got a new covid vaccine (Pfizer) last month and a flu shot last week. The consequences of not vaccinating are a lot more severe for me, especially if I get a fever. Besides being sick for 10 days, I can have febrile seizures. So, yes, I get vaccinated whenever new covid vaccines come out. Always Pfizer or Moderna, though. I do not use Johnson & Johnson.
Crystal,
I stand for medical freedom. When we were being forced to get a “vaccine” or lose your job. That is wrong. My suggestion to you would be do some research, ask for the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) on these shots before you put anything into your body.
So you agree that vaccines save lives, you just prefer to live a riskier way as you prefer your medical freedom over less chance of you and others around you dying.
(Note: I have a nuanced view on mandates & for RNA viruses like covid that change mandatory vaccination only seems proportionate in high risk places like hospitals and nursing homes. I don’t want to write a whole article on this here.)
No Father, I don’t. Follow the money. After covid, I question everything. Remember when they were giving free sporting event tickets if you got vaccinated. Or, the Michigan Health Department giving out “goodie bags” to vaccinate your child.
Again, I replied to your previous post that you “review” and did not put up in the comments. Censorship at its best.
Be educated on both sides of the issue.
Aaron Siri, the attorney I told you sued the FDA to release the Pfizer documents that they wanted to keep hidden from the public for 75 years. Hmmmmm, why? What’s in those documents? Maybe get a copy of the “Pfizer Papers.”
Aaron also posted this: [unreliable link removed]
Have you read any of the ingredients list in any of the vaccines?
What about all the young athlete’s that have “died suddenly?” What about the turbo cancers? Increase in Autoimmune immune diseases. As a healthcare professional, these are the things we are seeing like never before.
We need to prayer for truth and light.
God Bless you,
Beth
Follow the money. Explain why insurance companies are pro-vaccine. They have tons of data, the best analysis, & would know if more were getting sick from vaccines (& have to pay for it).
Be educated on both sides. Yes, please do so. I’ve read dozens of anti-vax pieces and all had serious errors or exaggerated a real rare risk. I recommend you do this to. Start with an immunology course like. https://www.coursera.org/learn/epidemics
The “Pfizer Papers” did not really have anything surprising or seriously negative without twisting them. I read the worst things anti-vax sites had to say and they were not a serious issue.
I’ve read the ingredients of most of the main vaccines. There is nothing problematic.
“Died suddenly” is a hoax run by a neo-nazi. Here is is praising Hitler: https://archive.today/20240913141814/https://x.com/realstewpeters/status/1834399802328543259 You can find numerous articles on how poorly done his research is. It’s so bad even other anti-vaxxers have called him out, for example: https://web.archive.org/web/20221130173813/https://thecovidblog.com/2022/11/30/died-suddenly-update-stew-peters-lost-all-credibility-for-including-footage-from-a-heart-surgery-that-happened-in-2019/
“We need to prayer for truth and light.” Yes, please pray. Also please look at serious research and please do a general introduction to epidemiology course.
Thank you, Father. I prefer to vaccinate so I don’t end up having febrile seizures due to Covid-19 or the flu. I feel better when I vaccinate and I know my neurologist would recommend it if I asked him. I have known epilepsy as well and take an anticonvulsant medication daily. I have already had COVID once and it is debilitating. Couldn’t even get out of bed for the first 3 days or so; needed the whole 10 days to be well enough to return to college. They put me on Lageviro due to my anticonvulsant.