Catholics and Vaccinations from aborted fetal tissue

Colleges & Universities Service Academy Parents
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<p>We have run into a snag regarding vaccinations and innoculations required by the Service Academies. According to the Pontifical Academy for Life, vaccinations for Rubella, Hepatitis A, chicken pox, and others, were originally made from the cells of aborted fetuses (in some cases, they actually know the gender and mother of the baby). </p>

<p>Are there any waivers for some of these vaccines? It is my understanding that the Service Academies now use a standardized vaccine, and it is an all or none situation for incoming cadets and plebes. If you choose the none, you also choose to forego a military career.</p>

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<p>Your information is not only outdated, but incorrect.</p>

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<p>Actually, there are still cell lines in use that can be traced back to the original stem cells used in the 1960’s, you can read the interesting scientific info here. I was surprised that the lines can still be directly traced back.</p>

<p>However, the Catholic church does recognize that one can accept the vaccines… The Pontifical Academy explains it here in detail in the link. </p>

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<p>[On</a> Vaccines Made From Cells of Aborted Fetuses - Catholic Online](<a href=“On Vaccines Made From Cells of Aborted Fetuses - Featured Today - Catholic Online”>On Vaccines Made From Cells of Aborted Fetuses - Featured Today - Catholic Online)</p>

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<p>Sunny is right. The Vatican permits the use of these vaccines and their own people take them. So it is not going to fly to use that as a reason. If you feel strongly on a personal basis, that is another story. You can either go to a country that gives those vaccines without the supplements that contain the cell lines derived from aborted fetuses, lie about having had the vaccine, or confront the issue face on. The last option has been a loser to date and will take time, money and action to undergo. Better plan on kid sitting out the year while you try that route.</p>

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<p>fencersmother -
perhaps you can call the Catholic chaplain at the Air Force Academy</p>

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<p>We did call him, and he doesn’t know. Apparently, no one ever researched the vaccines before, or at least never called him about them.</p>

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<p>i recall reading on either the academy website or in the appointee kit that medical treatments cannot be refused based on religous beliefs. if your beliefs are that strong against receiving certain medical treatments then you need to reconsider your decision on attending a military academy.</p>

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<p>You, of course, are correct stvblm. Right now, we’re just looking at the info. They require most of these vaccines for students at Franciscan U. of Steubenville, which is one of the most conservative Catholic colleges in the country. And the refusal of the vaccine for a service academy means no military service, period, since they all get the same vaccines.</p>

<p>We’re just looking at the info right now, and wondered if anyone else had looked into these issues.</p>

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<p>Have you declined vaccinations all these years? You put your child at grave risk if he leaves the country and travels anywhere, particularly a 3rd world country that does not innoculate. Since many wars are fought in such places, it follows that military service would not be allowed. </p>

<p>I have never heard of vaccines being made from aborted fetuses. When my children were very little, both my OB and pediatric groups were pro-life practices. They would not have recommended vaccinations if they contained by-products of abortion. My standard question, when determining whether to give a particular shot was always: “did you give this to your child?” If the doctor did, so did I.</p>

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<p>There is a lot of documentation for the development of vaccines using abortive tissues, predominantly in 1964 and in the early 1970’s, especially for rubella and chicken pox. See the Pontifical Academy for Life, which was set up by JPII (I think) to study issues surrounding pro-life issues.</p>

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<p>You all have way too much time on your hands worrying or even debating this.</p>

<p>Bottom line your Mid to be is going to get the vaccines whether you approve of their “development” or not. Once they walk through the door to Alumni Hall, they are out of your control. When medical wants to give them the full repertoire of shots - trust assured your new about to be Plebe will not argue!</p>

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<p>Outstanding observation!</p>

<p>Salute to CurrentMid</p>

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<p>I know with Bullet they call in the squadron every yr for the flu shot, then when they are deployed they have to get extra shots. I do not believe he was ever given a chance to decline a shot. Just recently he was given a shot for something (can’t remember the disease), but it was a serious shot, that all of his clothing had to be washed seperately away from the family and the shot was to be bandaged with gauze and covered for 3 days.</p>

<p>People are right when they say, you may want to re-think the military, since when you sign on you will become their property and waive your rights. </p>

<p>A similiar problem occurs in orthodox judiasim, you can’t say to them I must not work from Friday sunset to Sat. sunset or eating Kosher. In the end the business is that you must defend the country and there may be wars declared on a Fri…or even the fact that you may have to be deployed on an emergency (ie hurricane coming and needing to get the jets to safety)…I recall wth a young LT. getting a call to report on Sunday because they needed to get the jets out…he actually told his fl commander I do not work on the weekends…needlesss, to say he was standing at attention in the office a couple of hours later.</p>

<p>I understand as a Catholic your beliefs, but remember the military defends our Constitution and 1 of the Rights is the seperation of Church and State. </p>

<p>Also remember that the military tries to understand religiious values, but the mission is first and foremost. They will not be able to deploy a member if they can’t guarantee their medical safety. This would explain why it is very difficult to stay in the military if you lose a leg or develop a manageable heart condition…in this day and age we are already facing problems with C STATUS due to member shortages in particular fields, just imagine a member saying for relgious reasons I did not get these shots, and thus you can’t deploy me! Our Wing King is Catholic, can you imagine him not being able to lead the Wing into war b/c he didn’t get his shots?</p>

<p>Best of luck, but I agree it probably won’t fly, and morally this is the least concern you should face in regards to being an AD member in the service. Bullet and I teach CCD (8th grade) on base, all of the kids are dependents, mixed about the fact that their parent is committing a mortal sin and have discussed this at length several times how Bullet can believe that he has not committed a mortal sin (Thou Shall Not Kill). Some kids understand that he will be forgiven b/c he is saving other lives, some cannot. They have flat out asked if he has dropped a bomb that might have killed someone…he has sugar coated to the kids saying he is not sure, knowing that some of these kids are crew members kids, and that our DS is in the class. I absolutely know the truth, and I know he has come to terms in his own religious beliefs.</p>

<p>I am just saying that the shot for pro-life religious beliefs is nothing compared to the fact that your DS may have to morally accept that he has committed a mortal sin according to Catholic doctrine.</p>