Die Mitwirkung katholischer Laien an der gesetzlichen Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
According to section 218(a) § 1 of the German criminal code (Strafgesetzbuch – StGB), an abortion within the first twelve weeks of conception is exempted from penalty if the pregnant woman has received counselling at a recognised pregnancy advice centre before the medical intervention. The counselli...
| Summary: | According to section 218(a) § 1 of the German criminal code (Strafgesetzbuch – StGB), an abortion within the first twelve weeks of conception is exempted from penalty if the pregnant woman has received counselling at a recognised pregnancy advice centre before the medical intervention. The counselling serves the protection of unborn life (section 219 § 1 sentence 1 StGB). After the counselling, a certificate has to be issued. The presentation of this counselling certificate is prerequisite for the abortion to be exempted from penalty. Of the 1,686 pregnancy advice centres in Germany, 270 were run by the Catholic church. In 1999 the Pope prohibited church-run centres from issuing counselling certificates, because this would obscure the clarity and resoluteness of the ecclesiastical message for life. The German bishops hereupon stopped their participation in the governmental system of pregnancy counselling. In order to maintain pregnancy conflict counselling based on Catholic convictions, Catholic laypeople founded the association of "Donum Vitae e. V." to operate its own pregnancy advice centres. The pregnancy counselling by Catholic laypeople in the association of "Donum Vitae" is disputed under canon law, but permissible in the outcome. The papal directive not to obscure the ecclesiastical message for life is also aimed at laypeople and has to be followed by them in Christian obedience according to can. 212 § 1 CIC. However, this does not prevent them from participating in the association of "Donum Vitae", as it presents itself not as a Catholic, but as a Christian association and as such does not obscure the message of the Catholic church. The pope, of course, is free to expressly prohibit the participation of Catholic laypeople in the association of "Donum vitae." Against such a directive, the Catholic members of "Donum Vitae" could assert their freedom of conscience, as far as upon examination of their Christian conscience, they understand their participation in the pregnancy counselling as absolutely obligatory. Against such a decision of conscience, a termination of the pregnancy counselling could not be forced by means of canonical penalties. The church would be limited to publicly dissociate itself from its members' participation in the association of "Donum vitae" in order to guarantee the clarity and the resoluteness of the ecclesiastical message for life. Um nach dem Ausstieg der deutschen Bischöfe aus der Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung die Fortführung einer katholischen Beratung zu gewährleisten, riefen katholische Laien in eigener Initiative den Verein 'Donum Vitae' ins Leben. Die Konfliktberatung durch 'Donum Vitae' wird inner- und außerhalb der Kirche unterschiedlich bewertet. Der Autor untersucht die Gehorsamspflicht der Laien in der Kirche. Dabei geht er auf den Glaubens-, Sitten- und Gesetzesgehorsam ein. Weiter geht der Autor auf die Bindung der Laien an die Weisung des Papstes ein. Abschließend kommt der Autor zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Konfliktberatung durch 'Donum Vitae' kirchenrechtlich nicht zu beanstanden ist, da sie als christliche Beratung von der Weisung des Papstes nicht erfasst wird. Gegen eine künftige Anweisung, keine Beratungsscheine auszustellen, könnten die katholischen Mitarbeiter sich bislang auf ihre Gewissensfreiheit berufen. Das kanonische Recht bietet jedoch keine Handhabe, ein Ausscheiden der katholischen Laien aus der Konfliktberatung zu erzwingen. Der Verein 'Donum Vitae' ist überkonfessionell ausgerichtet, da der Schutz des ungeborenen Lebens ein Anliegen aller Christen ist |
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| ISSN: | 0044-2895 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie
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