The Sunday Mail
Fatima Bulla Religious Affairs Editor —
ROMAN Catholics in the medical field are wary of specialising in gynaecology as they may at some point be required to perform an abortion, a procedure that the Vatican frowns upon.
This is according to director of development and communication for the Jesuit Province, Father Nigel Johnson SJ.
“I think quite a lot of Catholic men and women doctors are nervous about going into this speciality of gynaecology because part of it does involve abortion. They would be quite happy being a gynaecologist dealing with all sorts of other gynaecological issues; but then I think normally the gynaecology consultant part of it is abortion,” Fr Johnson SJ said.
The Roman Catholic Church forbids abortion. Fr Johnson said Catholics in the medical profession had to consider their involvement if medical procedures that needed abortion were to be conducted.
Such considerations have arisen following last Monday’s move by Pope Francis’ to extend to priests the power to forgive women who would have committed abortion and other people involved in the process.
This will also see priests having power to lift the excommunication of individuals involved in abortiona, including medical professionals.
Wrote the Wall Street Journal, “In a document released by the Vatican Monday, Pope Francis wrote that his gesture was aimed at helping the Sacrament of Confession ‘regain its central place in the Christian life’, so that ‘everyone is afforded the opportunity of experiencing the liberating power of forgiveness’.”
Fr Johnson said the Sacrament of Penance was all about God’s forgiveness and the Pope whose theme has been mercy was saying anyone who was repentant could be forgiven by God through confession.
“It would mean for local Catholics in the medical profession – that is doctors, nurses, surgeons – to what extent, if they are in the gynaecology department and the doctor decides that he is going to do a legal abortion clinically, if it’s a Catholic nurse are they willing to assist in that? That’s a real question,” explained Fr Johnson.
“(Pope Francis) is not saying abortion is fine. He is saying anyone who is repentant can be forgiven by God and therefore can be forgiven through confession. Obviously God can forgive anyone anytime. But as a sacrament, it’s (confesion and forgiveness) something the church does again from the beginning of the church. In John’s gospel Jesus after resurrection says to his parents, ‘whose sins you forgive are forgiven and whose sins you retain they are retained’.
“We see that as Jesus giving power of forgiveness to the church and the ministers of the church. The way that sacrament has been put into practice is varied from century to another but we are talking of individual confession. So until this, I think the Catholic Church felt that abortion was a serious problem and it said for forgiveness of that, it had to be by the bishop,” added Fr Johnson.
Rector of Chishawasha Regional Seminary Fr Joseph Mugara said abortion remained a grave sin.
“Abortion remains grave. There is no change of stance by the Catholic Church but there is no sin which cannot be forgiven. This issue is emerging from the mercy of God,” Fr Mugara said.
According to an online source penance is, “A sacrament of the new law instituted by Christ in which forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is granted through the priest’s absolution to those who with true sorrow confess their sins and promise to satisfy for the same.
“It is called a ‘sacrament’ not simply a function or ceremony because it is an outward sign instituted by Christ to impart grace to the soul. As an outward sign it comprises the actions of the penitent in presenting himself to the priest and accusing himself of his sins and the actions of the priest in pronouncing absolution and imposing satisfaction.”
