CCC 2271

Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:

You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.⁷⁴ Didache 2, 2: SCh 248, 148SCh — Sources Chrétiennes (patristic critical-edition series); cf. Ep. Barnabae 19, 5: PG 2, 777PG — Patrologia Graeca (Migne); Ad Diognetum 5, 6: PG 2, 1173PG — Patrologia Graeca (Migne); Tertullian, Apol. 9: PL 1, 319-320PL — Patrologia Latina (Migne). God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.⁷⁵ GS 51 # 3.