PeoThis demand is in direct defiance of the Vatican.
What We Know:
- On Monday, March 1, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans inclined their followers not to take the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. They claimed it was morally wrong. This is because there is a link to cells from aborted fetuses. The statement came after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed the vaccines to roll out for emergency use.
- According to America Magazine, The Archdiocese asked Catholics to avoid it if given the option. They said, “the latest vaccine from Janssen/Johnson & Johnson is morally compromised as it uses the abortion-derived cell line in the development and production of the vaccine as well as the testing.”
- While vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer Bio-Tech used cell lines from an aborted fetus only to test its potency, Johnson & Johnson uses it extensively. This is an impediment to vaccine distribution, as vaccination centers are at houses of worship and faith-affiliated organizations. The Archdiocese of New Orleans is urging these sites to distribute the vaccines that follow the religion’s ethical guidelines.
- NBC News expresses that New Orleans’ decision is in contrast to an earlier declaration by the Vatican. In December 2020, the Vatican said that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine was morally acceptable, regardless of the use of derived prenatal cells. However, the officials of the Louisiana archdiocese claim that the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops guided their decision. These institutions have not issued statements that discourage the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The New Orleans Archdiocese also emphasized that taking precautions against COVID-19 is an issue of one’s conscience. People should also discuss it with their healthcare provider. In light of the statement, Johnson & Johnson has released an announcement negating fetal tissue use in the vaccine.
