Abortion became legal in the U.S. on January 22, 1973. It has become quite common since then, and it has been discussed a lot. Here are some important things to know about what abortion is and what the Catholic Church teaches us about it.
Abortion is a medical procedure. It usually involves surgery, or can be induced by taking medication. The purpose of an abortion is to end a pregnancy. Young mothers have abortions when they can not afford a baby, or don╒t want to raise a baby that looks or acts deformed. Sometimes a woman, her parents, friends, or father of the baby (boyfriend or husband) think that an abortion will solve a problem. The problem might be becoming a single mother, having too many children, or having a baby when you are too young. A woman might be ashamed that she got pregnant when she was not married.
For the Catholic Church, abortion is a matter of right and wrong. The Catholic Church says that abortion is a mortal sin because you are killing an innocent human being. Abortion is a horrible thing because only God can take other people╒s lives away. Whatever problem a person is trying to solve by having an abortion, they have to find a solution that is acceptable to God. Abortion solves some problems and causes others. The woman does not have the baby to put up with, but now she has the sin on her soul, and the guilt in her heart. The abortion procedure is very dangerous. It could lead to a lot of bleeding, or trouble getting pregnant ever again; it often does not solve relationship problems, and having an abortion costs a great deal of money by itself. Society suffers the loss of the aborted baby, since he or she could have grown up to be our friend, spouse, basketball player, neighbor, priest, or teacher. The aborted baby could have been the famous scientist who would have found a cure for AIDS or cancer.
In conclusion, abortion is a procedure that ends a pregnancy. The Catholic Church teaches us that abortion is very wrong. Abortion seems like a good way to solve certain problems, but you end up with some problems anyway. Having the baby and giving it up for adoption, getting married and becoming a family, and looking for counseling are ways to solve the problem without sinning.
