By Michele Barletta

Due to the recent scientific discoveries surrounding the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, many Catholic people have decided against receiving that vaccine. Fetal cell lines were used in the development of many vaccines, however in the case of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, fetal cell lines were used more directly. The line came from a fetus that was aborted in 1985. However, what most people don’t know is that it did not come from the fetus themselves, but rather a line that was reproduced from those cells.

The Catholic church has a strong standpoint against abortion which is why members of the church have raised concerns over whether or not receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine would go against the views of the church.

Quincy University’s Father John Doctor has said that due to the global pandemic, the church is saying that it is the people’s best interest to get as many people vaccinated as possible. Father Doctor says that although he does not agree with how the vaccine was created, it is necessary to move past the pandemic.

“The Catholic church, at large, is saying that even though there’s questions about the Johnson and Johnson one, it’s still a preventative from the virus spreading and continuing to take lives,” Doctor said.

Catholic student at Quincy University, Matt Steffan, believes that he doesn’t agree with how the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was created and therefore, he will not be getting it.

“It goes against my morals and what I was raised to believe, so I won’t be signing up to get it any time soon,” Steffan said.

When the vaccine was first released, the members of the church were unsure of what the ethically correct decision was to make. Pope Francis came out and said to the members of the Catholic Church that he, and the Catholic Church, support the vaccine and would encourage the members of the church to get vaccinated.

“I saw that the Pope said we should get vaccinated, but not only my religious views go against, also my personal ones too, which is why I’m still against it,” Steffan said.

Doctor believes that every individual should have the freedom to make their own decisions regarding the vaccine, however Catholics shouldn’t let the concerns about the Johnson and Johnson vaccine impact their decision making.

Doctor is aware of Bishops, both in the USA and internationally, that are still against what the Pope has said, and are discouraging catholic people from receiving the vaccine.

“Even though it’s an ethical issue, the common good outweighs the situation at this point, it’s a lesser of two evils,” Doctor said.