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The
Respect Life
Ministry at Sacred Heart Cathedral parish exists to proclaim the dignity and
sanctity of human life from conception to natural death by the promotion and
support of community organizations dedicated to heralding and defending the
Gospel of Life.
"Actively promoting a renewed
respect for human life is the responsibility of every Catholic."
USCCB --- Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities: A Campaign in Support of
Life
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Mission
Statement
The
Mission
of
Respect Life Ministry
is to witness, by word and action, to the teachings of Jesus Christ
on the respect for the dignity of each human being from conception
to natural death. As a faith community we are called to recognize
that every person is created in God's image and is of inestimable
worth. We are therefore challenged to promote and protect the
inviolable right to life of all God's children, especially the most
defenseless: "For whatever you do to the last of these my brothers,
you do unto me." |
New for
2008! --- USCCB: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (and other
documents):
http://www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/
Helpful
explanatory article from USCCB's "Life Insight" November/December newsletter on
how to read the 2007 "Faithful Citizenship" statement":
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/publicat/lifeinsight/LINovDec07.pdf
"Protecting
Human Life
begins with our opposition to
abortion
and
euthanasia,
which are pre-eminent threats to human life and dignity, and
extends to our opposition to
cloning,
assisted suicide,
and the
death penalty,
and our efforts to
promote peace."
Faithful
Citizenship 2004, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
Abortion
Why
does Holy Mother Church describe abortion as a “pre-eminent threat to human
life and dignity”? She reminds us that abortion is the “deliberate
killing” of “the weakest in our midst---innocent unborn children,” and is (like
euthanasia) “gravely contrary to the moral law” and therefore a universally
condemned, and intrinsically evil, act. (Catechism of the Catholic
Church, #2271)
Note: All Catechism
references you see on this page can be read in context and in their entirety on
line by going to
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/a.htm .
Fact:
In 2005
over 32,000
abortions were performed in North Carolina abortion facilities. (The three
abortion mills operating in Wake County accounted for nearly
10,000 of those
32,000
pre-natal executions.)
USCCB: Women Deserve Better Than Abortion:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/publicat/lifeissues/010303.shtml
“We encourage the passage of laws and
programs that…assist pregnant women…” Faithful Citizenship 2004, U.S.
Catholic Bishops
Urge your legislator to support S.
2407 / HR 319, the “Pregnant Women Support Act,” and similar bills to help women
choose life instead of abortion.
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-206.shtml
Women who have gone through an abortion need our
kindness and prayers, not our condemnation. Criticism is more
appropriately directed at the abortion providers and promoters (powerful
special-interest groups such as Planned Parenthood Federation of
America and NARAL Pro-Choice America) that stand to profit from the
exploitation of unmarried, pregnant women struggling to deal with their crisis
pregnancies.
USCCB: Planned Parenthood
Federation—Profiting from Death at Any Cost:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/publicat/lifeissues/060107.shtml
Fact: 83% of women surveyed who had had abortions said that they
definitely would not have chosen abortion if they had been encouraged
differently by the people who played a role in their abortion decision. (The
Elliot Institute,
www.afterabortion.org )
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Euthanasia
and Assisted Suicide
Those whose lives
are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons
should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible. Whatever its motives and
means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped,
sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. (Catechism of the
Catholic Church #2276 & 2277).
USCCB: Vatican Affirms Church Teaching On Nutrition And Hydration For
Individuals In ‘Vegetative State’
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-143.shtml
USCCB: Dying Well, Assisted Suicide, and the Law:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/99rlkave.shtml
USCCB: Human Dignity in the ‘Vegetative’ State:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/04doerflinger.shtml
Because the
harvesting of stem cells from human embryos effectively kills the embryo, the
Church’s position on embryonic stem cell research is the same as that of
procured abortion. "[The] human being is to be respected and treated as a person
from the moment of conception and therefore from that same moment his rights as
a person must be recognized" (Instruction from the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, Donum Vitae, (I, 1)).
DIOCESE OF RALEIGH: Stem Cell Information and Education:
http://www.dioceseofraleigh.org/how/respect_life/
USCCB :Facts v. Politics on Stem Cells:
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/publicat/lifeissues/011207.shtml
USCCB: In Vitro Fertilization: The Catholic Perspective:
http://www.nccbuscc.org/prolife/programs/rlp//98rlphaa.shtml
The bishops and
the Catechism of the Catholic Church instruct us, that, given the ability of
modern societies to protect people from an aggressor (confinement in prison),
the need to exercise the death penalty in capital cases is “very rare, if not
practically non-existent.” Also, serious questions have been raised regarding
the delivery of justice in capital cases. (Catechism of the Catholic Church
#2267).
Fact:
In the United States since 1973, more than 110 people have been freed from death
row because they were proven innocent of the murder for which they had been
convicted. (www.deathpenalty.org)
USCCB: Appeal to End the Death Penalty:
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/criminal/appeal.shtml
Although all
nations have a duty to protect the lives of its citizens against terrorism,
aggression and similar threats by force if necessary, the Gospel calls us to
seek non-violent means first, and military means as a last resort,
in efforts to defend life. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2307 &
2308).
USCCB: Statement on Nuclear Arms and Land Mines:
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/20070201armscontrolbck.pdf
Helpful
Links for Further Exploration of Respect Life Issues:
Is the
Holy Spirit leading you to answer Christ’s call to actively promote the Gospel
of Life here in our community? Your parish Respect Life representative’s contact
information appears below. Thank you for visiting Sacred Heart Cathedral’s
Respect Life page.
Dennis Embo, Sacred Heart
Cathedral Respect Life Representative - Phone: 779-0240
Email:
embo4good@yahoo.com
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