Ensoulment
By Fr. Joseph C. Howard, Jr., M. Div.
Director of the American Bioethics Advisory Commission
The question raised regarding ensoulment of the human zygote is indeed a
critical question of the day. While it is true that the Magisterium has
not committed itself on this issue to an affirmation of a philosophical
nature, it constantly reaffirms the moral condemnation of any type of
procured abortion. This teaching has not been changed and is unchangeable.
The Church's Magisterium teaches that every spiritual soul is created
immediately by God—it is not "produced" by the parents—and also
that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body
at death. And it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.
While no experimental data can be sufficient to bring us to the recognition
of a soul, the conclusions of science regarding the human embryo provide
valuable indication for discerning by the use of reason a personal presence
at the moment of this first appearance of a human life: how could a human
individual not be a human person?
The Magisterium is very clear: from the moment the zygote is formed, there
must be unconditional respect that is morally due the human being in his
bodily and spiritual totality. Rational logic and deduction verify to us
the effects of the vegetative operations of the soul which are demonstrable
in the human zygote: mitotic cleavage, protein synthesis, DNA synthesis,
etc.
From a philosophical perspective, it is clear that the human zygote
possesses potentiality and actuality. Potency is always in reference to
that which is in act or a state of actuality. Potency does not exist
without actuality which implies being. The effects which are observed
lead us to the realization of the presence of the cause: a human soul.
By observance of the effects of the vegetative operations of the soul, it
is known that the human zygote is "ensouled" which is the basis for the
establishment for human personhood which is present. How can that which
possesses a human soul be anything other than a human being, a human person,
a human individual?
