Ethan Walker
While the Catholic Church does not prohibit the use of vaccines, some Catholics have refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds, citing concerns about the use of fetal cells in the development of the shots. The Vatican has stated that receiving the vaccine does not constitute cooperation with abortion, but some Catholics have still sought religious exemptions, with varying levels of success. Catholic bishops have taken different approaches to mandatory vaccination, with some encouraging Catholics to get vaccinated and others granting religious exemptions. Ultimately, the Catholic Church teaches that each Catholic must make their own decision regarding vaccination in light of their particular situation and moral responsibilities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic vaccine exemptions | San Diego's Bishop McElroy says that "vaccination is not morally obligatory and so must be voluntary" |
| Catholic vaccine mandates |
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What You'll Learn
Catholics are not bound to refuse the vaccine
While the Catholic Church does not prohibit the use of any vaccine, it also does not universally oblige its followers to receive any vaccine. This means that Catholics are not bound to refuse the vaccine.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that following one's conscience is akin to following Christ. Thus, Catholics are required to obey the judgement of their informed and certain conscience. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has stated that "vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary".
The Catholic Church recognises that some Catholics will be bound in conscience to refuse the vaccine. This is because the Church teaches that a person may refuse a medical intervention, including a vaccination, if their conscience leads them to that decision. However, this is not because the act of vaccination is immoral or contradictory to Catholic teachings.
Pope Francis has urged people to get the Covid shot, calling it "an act of love". Catholic popes have a long history of supporting immunisations. The Vatican has also stated that "obtaining the vaccine 'does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion'". However, the Vatican also emphasised that this is not "a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted foetuses".
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Pope Francis supports vaccination
Pope Francis has repeatedly encouraged Catholics to be vaccinated, calling it "an act of love". He has also promoted the fair distribution of vaccines throughout the world, emphasising the importance of "universal access to vaccines".
In a January 2021 interview on Italy's TG5 news programme, Francis said:
> I believe that morally everyone must take the vaccine. It is the moral choice because it is about your life but also the lives of others.
He has also emphasised the importance of being "properly informed" with scientific data, rather than "fake news", in a meeting with a Catholic fact-checking group focused on COVID-19 vaccines.
However, some Catholics have refused the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds, citing concerns about the use of fetal cells in the development of the vaccines. In one case, a Catholic woman was awarded $13 million in a religious discrimination lawsuit after she was fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
While Pope Francis has expressed support for vaccination, Catholic bishops have taken different approaches to mandatory vaccination. The New York archdiocese, for example, has instructed priests not to grant religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines, while other dioceses have instructed their clerics to not assist parishioners seeking religious exemptions.
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Catholics can request religious exemptions
While the Catholic Church does not prohibit the use of any vaccine, it also does not universally oblige its followers to receive any vaccine. The Church teaches that a person may refuse a medical intervention, including a vaccination, if their conscience leads them to that decision. In other words, Catholics must obey their own judgment and conscience, even if it errs.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that following one's conscience is akin to following Christ Himself. According to the Catechism, "Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. 'He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.'"
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has stated that “vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary." This is echoed by the Pope, who has said, "The conscience is the interior place for listening to the truth, to goodness, for listening to God; it is the inner place of my relationship with Him, the One who speaks to my heart and helps me to discern, to understand the way I must take and, once the decision is made, to go forward, to stay faithful."
Catholics who oppose vaccination on religious grounds may seek a letter of exemption from a priest or bishop. However, some Catholic leaders have discouraged priests from providing such letters, arguing that a person's objection is based on their individual conscience rather than a specific tenet of the Catholic faith. Additionally, some employers may require more than a letter of exemption from a priest or bishop.
It is important to note that while Catholics can request religious exemptions, Catholic popes have a long history of supporting immunizations. In a 2021 video message, Pope Francis urged people to get the Covid-19 vaccine, calling it "an act of love."
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Bishops discourage granting religious exemptions
Catholic bishops have taken different approaches to mandatory vaccination. While some bishops have discouraged granting religious exemptions, others have supported Catholics seeking a religious exemption from vaccine mandates.
Bishops discouraging religious exemptions
San Diego's Bishop McElroy has asked priests in his diocese not to sign religious exemption letters from coronavirus vaccine mandates. He criticized an exemption letter from the Colorado Catholic Conference for promoting a pathway that merges personal choice with doctrinal authenticity and asks pastors to endorse vaccine refusal even when it is motivated by beliefs that diverge from Church teaching. In his view, the letter aims to elicit a public indication from the pastor that a parishioner's decision to refuse the COVID vaccine is rooted in and supported by authentic Catholic faith. Bishop McElroy stated that this is problematic because the Holy See has made it clear that receiving the vaccine is consistent with Catholic faith and laudatory during a pandemic.
The New York archdiocese also instructed priests not to grant religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines, saying that doing so would contradict the pope and inaccurately portray Church instructions. The memo distributed to parish leaders on behalf of Cardinal Dolan stated that Pope Francis has made it clear that it is morally acceptable to take any of the vaccines, and there is a moral responsibility to get vaccinated. Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso similarly mandated that all Church employees and ministry volunteers must be vaccinated, citing the need for the Catholic Church to lead by example and act responsibly during the pandemic.
Bishops supporting religious exemptions
South Dakota's Catholic bishops issued a joint statement backing voluntary vaccination and expressing support for any Catholic seeking a religious exemption from a vaccine mandate. The Philadelphia-based National Catholic Bioethics Center, which provides guidance on medical ethics to Catholic institutions, has criticized vaccination mandates, warning that they can place undue pressure on individuals without robust medical, religious, and conscience exemptions.
Catholic teachings and beliefs
The Catholic Church teaches that a person may refuse a medical intervention, including a vaccination, if their conscience leads them to that decision. Vaccination is generally not considered a moral obligation and is therefore voluntary. However, there is a moral duty to reject vaccines created using human cell lines derived from abortion, except in specific conditions where there are no alternatives available and the intent is to preserve life. Catholics have expressed concerns about the use of fetal cells in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, considering it as complicity in abortion.
Official statements from the Vatican
The Vatican has stated that obtaining the vaccine does not constitute formal cooperation with abortion but emphasized that this is not a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses. It added that Catholics should seek ethically irreproachable COVID-19 vaccines when available.
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Catholics must make their own decision
While the Catholic Church does not prohibit the use of any vaccine, it also does not consider vaccination to be a universal obligation. The Church teaches that Catholics have the freedom to make their own decisions about vaccination based on their particular situations and moral responsibilities.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that following one's conscience is akin to following Christ. According to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, "vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and therefore, it must be voluntary." This is affirmed by San Diego's Bishop McElroy, who stated that "vaccination is not morally obligatory and so must be voluntary."
The Catholic Church recognises that some Catholics will be bound by conscience to refuse certain vaccines, particularly those with connections to abortion-derived cell lines. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that while the use of such vaccines is "morally acceptable," Catholics should seek "ethically irreproachable" alternatives when available. Pope Francis has emphasised that obtaining these vaccines "does not constitute formal cooperation with abortion."
However, Catholics should be aware that their requests for religious exemptions may not always be granted. While some priests are willing to provide exemption letters, others, such as the New York archdiocese, have instructed priests not to grant religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines to avoid contradicting the Pope and Church instructions. Additionally, employers can deny exemption requests if they determine that the concerns are not based on religious beliefs.
Ultimately, Catholics must prayerfully consider their decisions regarding vaccination, weighing their personal conscience, the teachings of the Church, and the guidance of public health authorities.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics are not universally exempt from the vaccine. However, the Catholic Church teaches that a person may refuse a vaccination if their conscience leads them to that decision. Pope Francis has said, "The conscience is the interior place for listening to the truth, to goodness, for listening to God".
Catholics may refuse the vaccine if they believe it is immoral due to its connection with abortion. The Vatican has said that "obtaining the vaccine 'does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion' but [...] is not 'a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses'".
Catholic authorities have taken different approaches to mandatory vaccination. Some bishops have instructed priests not to grant religious exemptions for COVID-19 vaccines, while others have encouraged Catholics to get vaccinated. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that the use of vaccines with connections to questionable cell lines is "morally acceptable", but Catholics should seek "ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines" when available.
Catholics can seek a religious exemption from vaccine mandates, but it is not guaranteed. Some states and companies may require a letter from a priest or other religious authority to support the exemption request. Courts in religious freedom cases typically defer to a person's interpretation of their faith rather than the official teachings.
