This video is being circulated and needs to be debunked.
Theologian Dan Maguire invokes the writings of Tomas Sanchez to justify the claim that the Church in the seventeenth century was "pro-choice".
If Tomas Sanchez was such a big thing, why don't we invoke the guy regularly today?
Maybe because it has something to do with the fact that his opinions on abortion were condemned by the Holy Office in 1679.
Oh sure, the leading light on abortion in the seventeenth century. What bunk!
If the papal magisterium, the episcopal magisterium and the [sic] lay Magisterium was so pro-choice, then numerous authors could be cited.
The matter is simple.
Not one pope approved of abortion.
Not one Church Father.
Not one writer of any note.
The only other authority the video cites is St. Antoninus, who said that abortion in early pregnancy was permissible to save the mother's life, if fetus was inanimate. In other words, if it were certain a human being was not being killed.
We know better now. We know that human life begins at conception.
Catholics for Choice has to reach for relative nobodies like Tomas Sanchez and St. Antoninus because giants like St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Chrysostom and countless other prominent writers condemned abortion.
Whenever the papal Magisterium spoke, it was to condemn abortion. Time after time.
Roma locuta, causa finita est.
Catholics for Choice do not have a theological leg to stand on.
You cannot be Catholic and for abortion.
