catholicweekly.com.au 2 NEWS 25, April, 2021 Call 02 9649 6423 or visit www.catholiccemeteries.com.au Consecrated lawns and chapels Sydney’s only Catholic crematorium Monthly mass for the Repose of Souls Funeral directors available for a Catholic service Bereavement pastoral care Serving the Catholic community for over 150 years I n this edition Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5181. The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by ACM Australian Community Media, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond NSW, 2754. News Movies, books Archbishop’s homily Editorial & Letters 1-7 8-9 16-17 20-21 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Kenny (02) 9390 5348 EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 Katie Clarke (02) 9390 5402 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa Faith in the trajectory of life catch it now at: thiscatholiclife.com.au LEAVE A GIFT Archdiocese of Sydney Catholic CHARITIES Order your FREE Wills and Bequests Guide today 1800 753 959 or
[email protected] myWill SUPPORTINGTHE MINISTRIES OF THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY Leaving a gift in a Should I receive the COVID-19 vaccine? The decision to receive any vaccine, in- cluding a COVID-19 vaccine, is a decision to be made in consultation with your doc- tor. This Q&A will provide information on moral matters relating to vaccines, but medical decisions are to be made with medical advice. If my doctor says it is safe for me to get the vaccine, do I have to get it? In its Note on the morality of using some anti-Covid-19 vaccines, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is clear that “vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation” ... However, the CDF goes on to say that the morality of vaccination is not only about your own health, but also the duty to pursue the common good by protecting the health of others. One would therefore need a serious reason not to receive the vaccine. Which vaccines are or will be available in Australia? The Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccine are currently available in Australia. The federal Government has also entered into an agreement for 51 million doses of the Novavax vaccine which still needs to go through approval from the Thera- peutic Goods Administration before being made available in Australia. Information about available vaccines: https://www. health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/ covid-19-vaccines What are the ethical issues surround- ing the vaccines that will be available in Australia? The HEK-293 cell line, derived from the kidney of an aborted baby girl in the 1970s, was used in the development, production and testing of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The HEK-293 cell line was used to test the efficacy of the Pfizer and No- vavax vaccines, but not in their develop- ment or production. Given that all the vaccines available in Australia have some link to the HEK- 293 cell line, is it ethical to use any of them? Given the very remote connection of the cell line to its origins, a person may re- ceive a vaccine that uses the HEK-293 cell line or any other cell line derived from aborted fetal cells in its production, de- velopment or testing. To do so would not be to co-operate in any abortion occur- ring in the past, nor any further abortions occurring in the future, and so it can be received with a clear conscience. Most Australians will probably have no choice as to which vaccine is made available to them. What does that mean for my respon- sibility to choose an ethically-sourced vaccine if one is available? If it is possible for people to have a choice, then they should be given one, and we urge the Government to respect the consciences of Australians and allow them to make a choice in the vaccine they receive. Where Australians are given a choice, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has said we should choose the least morally compromised vaccine. This would mean preferring the Pfizer or Novavax vaccine over the AstraZeneca vaccine. Where Australians are given no choice, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has made it clear that “it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.” Therefore, if you are only offered one option, you may receive whichever vaccine you are offered, including the AstraZeneca one, with a clear conscience. I am concerned about the speed at which these vaccines have been de- veloped, and about reports of adverse reactions. Are these vaccines safe to take? The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recently rec- ommended “that the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer (Comirnaty) is preferred over COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca in adults aged under 50 years”. These are matters to be discussed with your medical pro- fessional; it is not the role of bishops to advise on the safety or efficacy of vaccines. I have heard that the effect on fertil- ity is yet unknown. I am a woman of child-bearing age. Should I hold off on getting the vaccine? This is a matter to be discussed with your doctor. What happens if the doctor won’t tell me what vaccine I’m getting? It is a basic principle of both medical ethics and medical law today that the patient has a right to information about any medication before it is administered to them, so that they can provide free and informed consent. The Australian bishops have been assured by the Australian Gov- ernment that doctors will be transparent and open with their patients, and that Australians will continue to be able to receive clear answers to questions they have about any health product they are receiving, including vaccines. Final note Catholics and their families have a right to clear and accurate information about vaccines. The bishops remind every- one that we have a duty of care to the most vulnerable. Exercises in misinfor- mation, unbalanced sharing of facts or fear-mongering, whether by electronic communications or other means, are not appropriate and are inconsistent with our Christian commitment to truth and mercy. KEY ADVICE: 1 Vaccination against COVID-19 is a morally good thing, and to be encouraged. 2 While some or all COVID-19 vaccines cur- rently available or intended to be made available in Australia are associated with ethically questionable production and research practices, it is morally permissible to receive any and all vaccines made available. 3 The Catholic Church encourages governments to conduct all medical research and health delivery in moral ways, and to offer patients a choice of options. 4 If you have medical questions about a vaccine, consult with your medical practitioner. FAQS and Guidance regarding a COVID-19 vaccine THE ABOVE IS THE EDITED TEXT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE’S FAQ AND GUIDE ON COVID-19 VACCINATION WHICH CAN BE FOUND AT https://catholic.org.au/images/FAQs_and_Guidance_on_COVID-19_Vaccination.pdf