This is the article I wrote for our church bulletin for Respect Life Week last week. Thought I would try to start blogging again.....



"We are called to act with justice"

The greatest social justice issue facing us today is that of human dignity. Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality. Our belief as Christians in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. This belief gives us the starting point for a moral vision for society. It is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. In caring for God’s creation, we show our respect by our stewardship. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people as well as the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that all Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception (2270). This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable (2271).

Abortion and Euthanasia are direct attacks on human life. These are not "church issues" as some might think; they are human rights issues that we all need to be concerned and educated about. It is an unfortunate reality that in our society today life seems to be less and less valued, be it the child in the womb, the disabled, or the elderly patient in a personal care home. With the growing tendency to promote "mercy killing" as a solution to suffering, aging, mental or physical challenges, having the right to die is quickly becoming an "obligation to die". Many people who express a will to die are suffering from clinical depression rather than a terminal disease. Studies reveal that when certain anti-depressants are administered over a three-month period, 44% say they no longer wish to die. (Family Practice News, October 1996)
Abortion has become just another form of birth control, with abortionists no longer bothering to medically justify it. It is being used to brutally destroy those that are deemed "unacceptable" or "less than perfect". Society must learn that we can never eliminate problems by eliminating people. We do not improve society by rejecting society's members, and we do not build up the body of Christ by killing His disciples, no mater how tiny or how old!

In the Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II proclaimed:
"To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the
promotion of the common good. It is impossible to further the common good
without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other
inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."

Respect Life Week is the starting point where we can take the opportunity to live the beatitudes. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for Righteousness! Our mission as Christians is to bring Life and Peace to the world. We can do this by increasing public awareness of and promoting improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care; we can work to develop and build compassionate care community services as alternatives to "Mercy Killing." We can volunteer to visit people who are sick or shut in. We can support ministries that respect the sanctity of Life by donating baby food, diapers, baby and maternity clothing to places like the Crisis Pregnancy Centre. We can donate to or volunteer for our local pro-life group. And....WE CAN PRAY. Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord!