The Crime of Abortion in Canon Law: An Historical Synopsis and Commentary

cited in [*Roe v. Wade* fn. 22](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/410/113#fn22) (p. 113, [PDF](https://isidore.co/misc/Physics%20papers%20and%20books/Zotero/storage/AHEXM23T/1972%20-%20Roe%20v.%20Wade.pdf) p. 21) In canon law, "abortion" meant the the ejection of a pre-viable (immature) fetus (p. 90, PDF p. 102: " *eiectio fetus* *immaturi* "); killing a post-viable fetus fell under the censure of homicide. Thus, abortion incurs ( *latæ sententiæ* or *ipso facto* ) excommunication (∵ it deprives the soul of [baptism, which can't be performed *in utero*](https://isidore.co/aquinas/summa/TP/TP068.html#TPQ68A11THEP1)), but craniotomy (killing post-viable fetus) incurs irregularity of homicide. p. 128 (PDF p. 140): Coronata thinks the canon law definition should be updated: "definiunt pœnalistæ civiles, *violentam interruptionem processus physiologici maturationis fœtus* " ("civil penalists [criminal lawyers] define [abortion], *the violent interruption of the physiological maturation process of a fetus* "). * * * Part One: Historical synopsis -- I. Ancient laws -- 1. Oriental laws -- 2. Greek laws -- 3. Jewish laws -- 4. Roman laws -- II. Patristic writings and early conciliar legislation -- 1. Patristic writings -- 2. Early conciliar legislation -- Introduction -- Council of Elvira -- Council of Ancyra -- Canons of St. Basil -- Council of Lerida -- Canons of St. Martin of Braga -- Trullan Synod -- III. Canonical collections up to the twelfth century -- 1. Collections in the Eastern Church -- Greek collections -- Armenian and Syrian collections -- 2. Collections in the Western church through the ninth century -- Italian collections -- African collections -- Spanish collections -- Frankish collections -- 3. Collections in the Western church from the tenth to the twelfth century -- Regino of Prum -- Burchard of Worms -- Ivo of Chartres -- IV. Legislation from Gratian to Pope Gregory IX -- 1. Gratian and the Decretists -- A. The Decretum of Gratian -- Gratian's teaching regarding abortion -- Gratian's teaching regarding homicide -- B. The Decretists -- C. The Glossa Ordinaria -- 2. The Decretals before Gregory IX -- A. Compilatio I -- B. Compilatio IV -- V. From the Decretals of Gregory IX up to the Council of Trent -- 1. The Decretals of Pope Gregory IX -- 2. Teaching of the Decretalists -- Regarding abortion -- Regarding homicide -- 3. The time of animation -- Summary of Decretal law -- 4. Conciliar laws -- Particular councils -- The Council of Trent -- VI. From Sixtus V (1588) to the Code of Canon Law -- 1. From Sixtus V to Pius IX -- A. Object of the crime -- B. Subject of the crime -- To procure abortion -- To co-operate in abortion -- C. Penalties for the crime -- irregularity -- Excommunication -- 2. From Pius IX to the Code of Canon Law -- A. "Procurantes" -- Notion of "Procurare" -- What persons are called "Procurantes"? -- Mandantes -- Cooperatores et Mandatarii -- B. "Abortum" -- C. "Effectu Secuto."; Part Two: Canonical commentary -- VII. Explanation of "to procure" abortion -- 1. The technical meaning of "to procure" -- 2. Intention and efficacious means -- 3. Further observations regarding the "procuring of abortion" -- VIII. Definition and explanation of abortion -- 1. Abortion defined -- 2. Meaning of "ejection" -- Refers to entire physical process of abortion -- Final ejection need not be spontaneous -- 3. Meaning of "fetus" -- True fetus -- Living fetus -- Human fetus -- 4. Meaning of "immature" fetus -- Differentiation between abortion and premature birth -- immaturity, absolute or relative? -- Practical norm for determining viability -- IX. Explanation of "Effectu Secuto" -- Abortion must actually occur -- Abortion must result from the means employed -- Certitude -- X. Embryotomy and removal of ectopic fetus -- 1. Embryotomy (Craniotomy) -- 2. Removal of an ectopic fetus -- XI. Persons involved in the crime of abortion -- 1. Pre-code controversy regarding the mother -- A. From Pope Sixtus V to Pope Pius IX -- B. From Pope Pius IX to the Code of Canon Law -- 2. Complicity and co-operation in abortion -- A. Regarding the censure -- Co-agents incur the censure -- Necessary co-operators incur the censure -- Untenable opinions regarding co-operation -- B. Regarding irregularity -- XII. The results which Ipso Facto follow upon the crime of abortion.