The Catholic Church and Planned Parenthood

In the most recent development in the attempt by pro-life America to defund Planned Parenthood, a women's health clinic that is notorious for being one of the largest abortion providers in the country, President Obama has proposed a new rule that would effectively make it impossible for any state to vote to defund Planned Parenthood for political reasons or because it offers abortions.

The rule states that state governments cannot without Title X family planning funding  from recipients for any other reason other than the ineffectuality of the office. Many states have been trying to defund Planned Parenthood to put a stop to the major abortion provider in the country where abortions are legal.

Gaudium Et Spes, a foundational Vatican document about Church relations with the prevailing secular culture, argues in section 60 that it is a Christian's duty to take a stand for the dignity of the human person, especially in the face of an oppositional culture.

Therefore the duty most consonant with our times, especially for Christians, is that of working diligently for fundamental decisions to be taken in economic and political affairs, both on the national and international level which will everywhere recognize and satisfy the right of all to a human and social culture in conformity with the dignity of the human person without any discrimination of race, sex, nation, religion or social condition.

The call of Christ to value the human person is not recognized by many, and so Christ is especially calling Christians to stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves and for the dignity of all humans. Catholics and other Christians have tried to do this partly through the pro-life movement, but also through other initiatives to uphold human dignity throughout life until natural death.

Gaudium Et Spes also references in section 62 the importance of the Church's message when it does not agree with the prevailing culture.

Although the Church has contributed much to the development of culture, experience shows that, for circumstantial reasons, it is sometimes difficult to harmonize culture with Christian teaching. These difficulties do not necessarily harm the life of faith, rather they can stimulate the mind to a deeper and more accurate understanding of the faith. The recent studies and findings of science, history and philosophy raise new questions which effect life and which demand new theological investigations.

 If anything, I think the conflict with the secular culture over the right to life for the unborn has strengthened the resolve of the Church's teaching on human dignity, and has forced the Church to affirm it. New technologies in imaging have allowed doctors to look inside the womb and some have supported the claim that life begins at conception.

It is therefore very important that the Church have solid science to back up its theological claims about the sanctity of life inside the womb. Even as the Church becomes countercultural because of its commitment to Christ's message, it strengthens the resolve of Church teachings because they have to be fought for.

For more information about the law change, check out this Huffington Post article.