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Some say human life begins at birth. But doctors and scientists tell us that long before then, even before the mother feels her unborn baby's movements within, the miniature infant wakes and sleeps, squirms about, squints, swallows, breathes fluid, hiccups, digests, hears, tries to cry, can feel pain, flexes his or her fingers, punches, kicks and even sucks his or her thumb - or toes.
All of this vigorous activity occurs in the first half of pregnancy!
Most pregnancies aren't even detected until the sixth week. By then, the baby's heart has been beating for 3 weeks, brain waves can be read, the nervous system has been complete for about two weeks and he or she is about to begin moving, although the mother will not feel it for 3½ months more.
By the 8th week the baby's skeleton, head face, arms, legs, fingers (with fingerprints). toes, circulatory and major muscle systems are complete, and all of his or her bodily organs are present in rudimentary states.
By the 12th week the baby already shows a distinct individuality in both appearance and behavior, with facial expressions resembling those of his or her parents.
By the 16th week the baby's eyelashes have grown.
By 16½ weeks all 20 milk-teeth buds are in place.
By the 20th week hair appears on the baby's head.
By the 22nd week the babv can open his or her eyes.
Scientists agree that a new life begins at conception.
Pro-Life Resources
The purpose of this page is to make you aware of the Pro-Life position of the Catholic church. However it is not intended nor can it give you all the answers to questions you may have regarding human life.
In an effort to aid and guide you to information and answers to any questions you may have, we have compiled a list of websites listed below on this subject.
We will continue to add to this list as we are made aware of them.
Website Links
Catholic Pro-Life Committee (Dallas, TX)
Catholic Pages Directory (Pro-Life)
A Reminder
St. Catherine Catholic Church of Columbia Tennessee assumes no liability for the content of any website that may appear as a link on this website.
Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, Address to the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, May 8, 2009
In the present situation of our nation, a serious question has arisen about the moral obligation of Catholics to work for the overturning of the Supreme Court decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. There are those who would tell us that such work is futile and, therefore, to be abandoned, so that we can devote ourselves to help prevent individuals from choosing abortion. As Catholics, we can never cease to work for the correction of gravely unjust laws. Law is the fundamental expression of our culture and implicitly teaches citizens what is morally acceptable. Our efforts to assist those who are tempted to do what is always and everywhere wrong or are suffering from the effects of having committed a gravely immoral act...ultimately make little sense, if we remain idle regarding unjust laws and decisions of courts regarding the same intrinsic evils. We are never justified in abandoning the work of changing legislation and of reversing decisions of the courts which are anti-life and anti-family.