Moral Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines

As COVID-19 vaccines begin to be distributed, we as Catholics must weigh various factors in our practical decision on whether to accept vaccination. Among these considerations are questions of morality, especially as we confront the reality that currently available vaccines have some connection to a past abortion through the use of a cell line derived from that evil act. As we assess the moral aspects of possibly accepting a COVID-19 vaccine, we have recourse both to a longstanding intellectual and moral tradition and to advisory and authoritative guidance from the Church. (You can access links to relevant Church and bioethical sources under the  "Helpful Links" below.)

1. We may morally receive the currently available COVID-19 vaccines.
2. We are not morally obligated to take a COVID-19 vaccine.
3. We should advocate for more ethical research and pharmaceutical development.

For more details on these three points, click on the section headers below.

Bishop Daly recognizes that moral considerations are but one factor that we must weigh in our personal decision to accept or decline vaccination. Medical questions, matters of safety and potential suseptibility to side effects, and the balancing of risks versus benefits must play into any decision involving a medical intervention, including vaccination. The purpose and scope of Bishop Daly's guidance and the supplemental resources provided by the diocese is to outline and inform the moral principles relevant to this decision. Further discussion of the underlying moral principles can be found here.

The Church teaches that it is morally permissible for Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines,  and it has provided general principles on the reception of vaccines that can guide us in this specific situation. When choosing to accept a COVID-19 vaccine, we should follow these moral principles:

1. We should opt for a vaccine that has the least connection with abortion as possible. Ideally, that would mean taking a vaccine with no connections to abortion at all. However, in situations when no such vaccines are readily available, it is morally acceptable to take a vaccine with a lesser connection to past abortions. For more information on the moral and bioethical concepts behind this guidance, click here.
2. If we accept a vaccine with some connection to abortion, we ought to voice our moral objection to the ongoing use of abortion-derived cell lines in the making of these vaccines and other health products. For practical guidance on how to make this advocate for ethical research, including a model letter and contact information for pharmaceutical companies, click here.

Although various Church authorities have encouraged the taking of COVID-19 vaccines as morally permissible and highlighted how vaccination can contribute to the common good during a pandemic, it is not morally obligatory for Catholics to receive such a vaccine. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in its note on the morality of these vaccines states, "practical reason makes evident that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary."

At the same time, those who decline vaccination should take appropriate measures to ensure that they do not contribute to the spread of disease. The CDF says in the same document quoted above, "Those who, however, for reasons of conscience, refuse vaccines produced with cell lines from aborted fetuses, must do their utmost to avoid, by other prophylactic means and appropriate behavior, becoming vehicles for the transmission of the infectious agent."

We should also note that people who have medical conditions that contraindicate the reception of the vaccine should not take it. Medical considerations such as these should be guided by one's health care provider. Those who cannot accept a vaccine due to medical reasons should also be attentive to the need to maintain appropriate infection control measures.

The Catholic Church has pointed out the importance of advocating for ethical change in the area of biomedical research, especially when standing practices are an affront to human dignity. For instance, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith writes in Dignitatis personae (n. 35), "everyone has the duty to make known their disagreement [to the use of abortion-derived cell lines] and to ask that their healthcare system make other types of vaccines available."

Bishop Daly encourages two practical forms of advocacy:

1. Directly contacting the pharamceutical companies that use abortion-derived cell lines to voice our moral objection.
2. Financially supporting research institutions like the John Paul II Medical Research Institute that are working to develop technologies to reduce and eliminate the biomedical industry's reliance on ethically problematic materials. 

Dear School Communities,

Governor Jay Inslee announced Thursday, February 17, 2022 that the current statewide masking mandate will end effective March 21, 2022. This announcement will affect all Washington schools, including the Diocese of Spokane Catholic Schools. We anticipate that you might have some questions, and we wanted to share with you what we know, based on information shared by the Governor’s office and the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Here are the key facts that we have today:

1. Diocese of Spokane Catholic Schools will remain in compliance with the current mask mandate through March 20, 2022.  Guidance for K-12 schools will be released the week of March 7 with a March 21 effective date. The purpose of this guidance is to assist schools prepare for this transition.

2. The removal of the mask mandate is statewide and applies to all schools, including schools within the Diocese; however, this is not an order to remove masks, it is a state mandate being lifted.   Students and faculty may still choose whether to mask or not.  

3. According to OSPI, public transportation, including school buses, will continue to follow federal masking mandates.

We understand that the shifting nature of the COVID-19 requirements and mandates over the past three school years has caused confusion and stress for students, families, and educators. We are committed to sharing information as we learn more from OSPI and the DOH, as well as focusing on our students, supporting our families, and collaborating with our schools and staff every step of the way.

Be Blessed,

The Office of Education
 

Estimadas comunidades escolares,

El Gobernador Jay Inslee anunció el jueves 17 de febrero del 2022 que el mandato actual de cubrebocas en todo el estado terminará a partir del 21 de marzo del 2022. Este anuncio afectará a todas las escuelas de Washington, incluidas las Escuelas Católicas de la Diócesis de Spokane. Anticipamos que ustedes tendrían algunas preguntas, y queríamos compartir con ustedes lo que sabemos, basado en la información compartida por la oficina del Gobernador y la Oficina del Superintendente de Instrucción Pública (OSPI) del estado.
Estos son los hechos clave que tenemos hoy:

1. Las Escuelas Católicas de la Diócesis de Spokane permanecerán en cumplimiento con el mandato actual de cubrebocas hasta el 20 de marzo de 2022.  La guía para las escuelas K-12 se publicará la semana del 7 de marzo con una fecha de vigencia del 21 de marzo. El propósito de esta guía es ayudar a las escuelas a prepararse para esta transición.

2. La eliminación del mandato de los cubrebocas es en todo el estado y se aplica a todas las escuelas, incluidas las escuelas dentro de la Diócesis; sin embargo, esta no es una orden para quitarse los cubrebocas, es un mandato estatal que se está levantando.   Los estudiantes y profesores aún pueden elegir si gustan usar los cubrebocas o no.

3. Según OSPI, el transporte público, incluidos los autobuses escolares, continuarán siguiendo los mandatos federales de uso de cubrebocas.

Entendemos que la naturaleza cambiante de los requisitos y mandatos de COVID-19 en los últimos tres años escolares han causado confusión y estrés para los estudiantes, las familias y los educadores. Estamos comprometidos a compartir información a medida que aprendemos más de OSPI y el DOH, así como a centrarnos en nuestros estudiantes, apoyar a nuestras familias y colaborar con nuestras escuelas y personal en cada paso del camino.

Bendiciones,

La Oficina de la Educación