Child Sexual Abuse Is A Greater Sin Than Abortion

It Is Imperative That The Faithful Understands the Catholic Faith

To Avoid Dangerous Errors

Specifically Regarding Abortion and Sexual Abuse

INTRODUCTION

We have received a letter from a reader regarding our statement "Abortion only kills the body of the little one, but not the soul..." which appears in our document: Child Sexual Abuse vs Abortion - Which Is The Greatest Transgression?

The letter appears to have been written in a spirit of humility and sincerity and deserves our attention since many members of the Catholic Faith may have the same views.

The Key Portion The Letter

I would beg to differ slightly about your statement that "Abortion only kills the body of the little one, but not the soul..." Abortion is generally considered by many catholics to be the greatest transgression because it ultimately denies the little one the chance of ever uniting with God in Heaven.

Because of no fault of their own, many if not most of these poor souls enter into Limbo, forever deprived of their rightful inheritance...

First of all, we thank the writer for taking the time to serve God by giving us the opportunity to clarify this point utilizing Roman Catholic Teachings coupled with the inspired Word of God.

Secondly, we wish to focus the readers attention on the portion of the letter which causes us greatest concern.

...Abortion is generally considered by many catholics to be the greatest transgression because it ultimately denies the little one the chance of ever uniting with God in Heaven.

Because of no fault of their own, many if not most of these poor souls enter into Limbo, forever deprived of their rightful inheritance...

Thirdly, we wish to point out the (not intentional) message hidden within such belief. To believe that such would be the fate for the soul of the aborted child is to negate the Infinite Mercy of God, which is the Greatest Attribute of God and the very foundation of His Plan of Salvation.

How could we possibly believe that God, Who Is All Love and Mercy, would condemn the soul of that poor innocent child to perpetual separation from Him, His Creator?

DETAILS

The soul of the aborted child does not run the risk of rejecting God in the person of Jesus Christ. Even if such soul did not know Him, that soul would not have emotional basis to reject Him. However, that is not the case of a child who has been sexually abused; most specially a child abused by a man or woman who, in the child's eyes represent, by his/her position, God.

In the latter case, that individual may associate the abuser with God and, thus, run a very high risk of rejecting Jesus Christ at the time of Judgment.

Even if the abused individual, through a special Grace from God, is able to separate God from those who abused him/her and not reject Him at the Final Judgment, he/she will be emotionally handicapped for life. The soul of the aborted child will be spared from either situation.

Let no one make any mistakes about our position: Abortion is a most grave sin, carries terrible spiritual consequences for all associated directly with it and we would never justify it under any condition whatsoever - no exceptions.

The reason that we bring to the attention of the faithful the comparative evaluation of both sins is to highlight to seriousness of child sexual abuse which always seems to be glossed over just as the Vatican did when it classified it as "Pedastry is the crime against customs." (1)

Are we to presume that if pedastry is "customary" on this or that country, it is then acceptable? Perhaps that is the reasoning used by many of the workers of the UN Peace Force and NGO Aid Agencies in Africa who have been investigated [first half of 2002] for grievous and frequent offenses against the human dignity of the children they claim to have been serving.

IN CONCLUSION

This is what the Official Catholic Teachings say about what we have covered

A review of key sections of the Roman Catholic Catechism may further assist in bringing into perspective the serious consequences of Sexual Abuse and Abortion.

No. 1258 On Dying Without Having Been Baptized - General

The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament. (2)

No. 1261 On Dying Without Having Been Baptized - Children

As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

No. 2270 On When Life Starts

Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.

No. 2272 On Abortion

Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae," "by the very commission of the offense," and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law. The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death (3), as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

No. 2389 On Pedophilia

Connected to incest is any sexual abuse perpetrated by adults on children or adolescents entrusted to their care. The offense is compounded by the scandalous harm done to the physical and moral integrity of the young, who will remain scarred by it all their lives; and the violation of responsibility for their upbringing.

No. 2356 On Rape

Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and charity. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave damage that can mark the victim for life. It is always an intrinsically evil act. Graver still is the rape of children committed by parents (incest) or those responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.

NOTES

(1) ZENIT News; Code: ZE02010807; Date: 2002-01-08; "Some Offenses by Priests to Be Judged Exclusively by Tribunal" - Papal Document Focuses on Pederasty and Wrongdoing Involving Sacraments. [As of March 01, 2002, this article is no longer in ZENIT Archives.

(2) In the light of Divine Mercy we think it theologically sound that an unborn child, who did not have an opportunity to be baptized, will receive from He, Who Is All Love, the same consideration the Church grants to those who were martyred for the Faith. This is confirmed by the Memorial Observance of The Holy Innocents by the Roman Catholic Church on December 28. They, just like the aborted babies, did not die as a result of their Faith.

(3) "Irreparable harm" - We presume it means that once a creature's body dies there is nor reversal to such harm. Please see No. 1261 above.