Evening star., 1951-11-28
Pope Clarifies Stand
On Sacrifice Of Mother
To Save Newborn Baby
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
VATICAN CITY, Nov. 28.-Pope
Plus XII says a pregnant mother,
under certain conditions, may
undergo an operation or other
medical treatment that might. as
an indirect consequence, cause her
unborn child to die.
Explaining further his recent
discourse on marriage and moth
erhood, the Pontiff emphasized he
had said direct killing" of an
unborn baby to save the mothers
life is not permissible.
But Independently of her preg-
nant state. a future mother may
urgently require treatment. 1t is
permitted. he said, even though
an accessory consequence is the
inevitable death of the fetus."
This. he said. could not be
called direct attempt on an in
nocent life. 1t would be permis-
sible if it were not possible to
postpone the treatment and there
were no other remedies.
Previous Speech Attacked.
The Pope's original speech, Oc-
tober 20, was sharply attacked in
some Protestant quarters. The
Church of England newspaper
interpreted the Pope's pronounce
ment as saying child could not
be sacrificed to save the life of
the mother and called this at
titude "inhuman, callous and
cruel"
In another address two days
ago to the Italian National Con-
gress for the Family Front, the
Pope again spoke on the problem. !
"On purpose" said the Pontiff, /
I'VE have always used the ex-
preston, direct attempt on the
life of an innocent person-direct
killing" Direct" was underlined
in copies of the address distrib-
uted by the Vatican press office
today.
Operation Valid.
The Pope explained:
Because if, for example, the
savings of the life Of the future
mother, Independently of her
pregnant State. should urgently
require a surgical act or other
therapeutic treatment which
would have an accessory conSe-
ouence, in no way desired nor in
tended but inevitable. the death
Of the fetus, such an act could
no longer be called a direct at
tempt on an innocent life. Under
these conditions the operation can
be licit. like other similar medical
1nterventions. granted always that
a good of high worth is con-
cerned, such as life, and that it
Is not possible to postpone the
operation until after the birth of
the child, nor to have recourse
to other eficacious remedies"
The Pope also returned to the
subject of the rhythm" theory
of offspring through recourse to
periods of infertility in the wom-
an. The Pope said he had af-
frmed Its legitimacy and, at the
same time, the lintts-in truth .
very wide -" in his October 20
address.
Rhythm" Compatible.
This regulation of offspring,
unlike so-called birth control" is
compatible with the law of God"
the Pope said, adding:
"One may even hope (but in ,
this matter the church naturally
leaves the judgment to medical
science) that science will succeed
in providing this licit method with ,
a sufficiently secure basis, and ,
the most recent information seems G
to confirm such a hope" {
In his speech of October 90. the 6
Pope said recourse to times of {
natural sterility was permissible
for grave reasons, including eco /
nomic. But he warned against !
deliberate and habitual withdrawal v
from the primary objective of t
marriage, "procreation of new life /
and its education" t
Two wars, said the Pope, have
inflicted grave wounds on family
life. Because of the scourge of {
unemployment. the mother often {
must seek employment and is un- |
able to dedicate herself to her
husband and children.
But, in clear slap at commu- l
nism, the Pope said an even deeper {
misery is that which strives to !
degrade the family into a mere
organism at the service of the So
cial community for the purpose
of procreating for it a sufficient {
rnoSs ~ human Y,oaferiaI i