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Catholic Conference: If no choice, take any virus vaccine

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference clarified its response to questions that many people have asked about whether it is permissible to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

When people have no choice about which COVID vaccine to receive, it is morally acceptable to receive any vaccine they are offered. This is based on the December 2020 guidance from the Vatican, stating that “when ethically irreproachable COVID-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.”

“The Pennsylvania Bishops have affirmed Church teaching that, given a choice of vaccines, the least morally offensive vaccine should be chosen,” Bishop Alfred Schlert said.

“In our area, a true choice is not yet available; therefore, Church teaching would allow for receiving a less-desirable alternative if a person wishes to be vaccinated now,” he said.

Bishop Schlert and other Pennsylvania Bishops issued a joint statement on the topic on March 4, responding to questions about the permissibility of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The statement was issued to the news media by the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.

Our position has never changed, nor has that of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which said, “While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the worldwide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good,” the Pa. conference said.

“Catholics may in good conscience, receive any vaccine, in order to protect themselves. Once again, being vaccinated safely against COVID-19 should be considered an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.”

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference is based in Harrisburg and is the public affairs arm of PA’s Catholic bishops.