First things first. Please keep Dave Pearce in your prayers for Dec 7 when he goes in for spinal surgery. I have put my back out a couple of times, where I was in constant pain for a couple of days. I know what that is like. In these days of November where we remember the end of the Church year and the end times, let us not forget so many who suffer from recurring pain. We have a number of our own in health situations, like Mike O’Leary. Some others wish to remain anonymous.
We are still struggling with the coronavirus. A couple of vaccines are now on our horizon. But as one celebrity has said, even though we know the cavalry is on its way, we should not stop fighting until the cavalry arrives. The restrictions we are living with are really frustrating, but we with faith, know that our Lord had said these things would happen, and if our faith is sufficient enough, we will accept this cross with grace and poise and perseverance. There are many, even among those who call themselves Catholic, who are struggling with despair or, at least, with some anguish. That is why we see so many defying common sense and going out with reckless abandon to strive for so many of the pleasures they are used to in bars and restaurants, which only serves to spread the virus more. Let us pray with faith, for those with faith and those without faith.
Some people are concerned about the ethical aspects of receiving a vaccine. Many vaccines of the past were/are prepared with aborted embryonic fetal cells. The Church has taught, that two cells lines, from the distant past, can be used to generate vaccines. As reprehensible as the abortions were, the cells exist now and using them does not produce any new abortions, so the Church teaches that it is OK to use them for future vaccines.
But Pfizer and Moderna have not used any cell lines to produce their vaccines. I am not an expert in viruses, but these companies used computer simulatations to represent the key aspects of Covid-19 to the body and to produce the reaction of immunity. Compared to other vaccines, there two do not use even a weakened form of the virus. At least one bishop, Strickland of the diocese of Tyler in Texas has raised a concern that embryonic cells were used in testing the vaccines, not in developing or preparing them. This would seem to be a sufficiently remote application when the development of a vaccine is a very serious health issue for millions of people.
I am told that the 3rd vaccine coming out from Astro Zenica did use aborted fetal cells.
For a fuller picture you can check out the website of the National Catholic Bioethics Center and watch their 5 minute video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzrN1v0Ryqk
Dennis