Seamless Garment of Life The Ethic of Life and Catholic Church Teaching

John Paul II Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life) Papal Encyclical (Fourth Level of Authority of CST) Teaches that it is important to examine how our cultural priorities and attitudes support or devalue all human life

Examining Society’s Values Culture of life values of being (belief that all experiences and people are inherently precious) Examples: valuing pain, valuing the right to life of murderers Vulnerable members of society deserve special care  Scripture shows God defending the innocent Culture of death values of having (in which the pursuit of one’s material well-being takes priority) Examples: euthanasia, abortion Part of the culture of death = using unclear wording/”deceptive language” Ex: “pregnancy tissue,” “unwanted pregnancy,” and “fetus” instead of an “unborn child”

The value of all life is represented by the image of a seamless garment. Anywhere there is a hole or tear in the garment symbolizes the devaluing of life. When all life is cared for, the garment is fully intact: strong and beautiful!

The Church teaches that we should critique and try to overturn the culture of death:

The church also teaches that we should recognize where there is a culture of life in our society and not only celebrate it, but build upon it.

Catholic Perspective All human life is a sacred gift from God All human life, from conception through natural death deserves to be treated with respect and dignity and needs to be honored and protected Pope John Paul II: “A seamless garment of life” We do not have the authority to “tear apart” the garment of life by terminating life

Catholic Perspective In light of the Church’s teaching about the sacredness and value of all human life, the Church teaches that each of the following acts are gravely immoral: – Abortion – Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide – Suicide – The Death Penalty

Abortion Recalling the 5th Commandment (Thou shall not kill), the Church teaches that abortion is murder The key issue is not when life begins, but when PERSONHOOD begins – The moral status of being a full human person deserving of full and equal rights, dignity, and protection afforded to all human beings.

Abortion The Catholic Church teaches that personhood begins at conception, and therefore abortion for any reason is gravely immoral. – A microscopic cluster of cells certainly does not look like a human person, but it has the natural POTENTIAL to become a fully recognizable human person, so it has personhood – The Church does not claim to know exactly when new human life “receives” a soul, but the POTENTIAL to “receive” a soul in the womb is another reason that personhood begins at conception

Abortion: Rights…

Abortion People who are Pro-Choice have a different understanding of when personhood begins: – Some say at about 20 weeks (half into pregnancy) – Some say at the beginning of the third trimester – Some say at the end of the third trimester – Some say only when the baby is born Logically, termination of a pregnancy BEFORE the baby has personhood is not murder The Church says that it is not possible to terminate a pregnancy before the baby has personhood, so all abortion is murder

Abortion and Justice Principle #4 = Option for the Poor and Vulnerable You can’t get much more vulnerable than innocent life in the womb - we are called to advocate for and to protect innocent life in the womb “Right relationships” - giving to others what is due to them - Do babies in the womb deserve a chance to live outside the womb, experience life, and know love? Common argument: “I would never have an abortion and I believe it is wrong, but I don’t feel like I can tell someone else that she should not have an abortion.”

Abortion: Church and Community

Euthanasia vs. PAS Euthanasia A dying patient gives permission to a medical professional to give a combination of lethal drugs through an IV to her so that she will die a quicker and less-painful death Physician-Assisted Suicide A dying patient gives permission to a medical professional to set-up a combination of lethal drugs and insert an IV so that the patient can push a button to administer the drugs to herself so that she dies a quicker and less-painful death

Suicide Even though suicide is gravely immoral, the Catholic Church focuses on the overwhelming and unknowable power of God’s unconditional love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness for all of God’s children, especially those who are hurting. The Church invites people to pray for loved ones and friends who have died, that they may come to know the fullness of God’s love and light in Heaven.

The Death Penalty The Church teaches that if the death penalty is truly the only means of protecting a society, then it may be moral to use as a means of self- defense. However, in the United States and most other countries, we have the ability to keep people in prison for life, so the death penalty is gravely immoral in the United States.

Honor and Protect Life The Church teaches that we are all equal brothers and sisters as members of the human family, including unborn babies in the womb, the sick and dying, and inmates in prison. It is not easy, but we are called to honor and protect ALL human life.

Pro/Con on Life Issues The Church considers all of the following to be a part of the culture of death and gravely immoral: we’ll talk about that later. For today, what do YOU think are the pros/cons of each of the following: -abortion -euthanasia and physician-assisted- suicide -death penalty -suicide