Chapter IV
You did it to me: For a New Culture of Human Life
78. The Church has received the Gospel as a proclamation and a source of joy and salvation. She
has received it as a gift from Jesus, sent by the Father "to preach good news to the poor" (Lk
4:18). She has received it through the Apostles, sent by Christ to the whole world (cf. Mk 16:15;
Mt 28:19-20). Born from this evangelizing activity, the Church hears every day the echo of Saint
Paul's words of warning: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9:16). As Paul VI
wrote, "evangelization is the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity.
She exists in order to evangelize".[101]
Evangelization is an all-embracing, progressive activity through which the Church participates in the prophetic, priestly and royal mission of the Lord Jesus. It is therefore inextricably linked to preaching, celebration and the service of charity. Evangelization is a profoundly ecclesial act, which calls all the various workers of the Gospel to action, according to their individual charisms and ministry.
This is also the case with regard to the proclamation of the Gospel of life, an integral part of that
Gospel which is Jesus Christ himself. We are at the service of this Gospel, sustained by the
awareness that we have received it as a gift and are sent to preach it to all humanity, "to the ends
of the earth" (Acts 1:8). With humility and gratitude we know that we are the people of life and
for life, and this is how we present ourselves to everyone.
79. We are the people of life because God, in his unconditional love, has given us the Gospel of
life and by this same Gospel we have been transformed and saved. We have been ransomed by
the "Author of life" (Acts 3:15) at the price of his precious blood (cf. 1 Cor 6:20; 7:23; 1 Pet
1:19). Through the waters of Baptism we have been made a part of him (cf. Rom 6:4-5; Col
2:12), as branches which draw nourishment and fruitfulness from the one tree (cf. Jn 15:5).
Interiorly renewed by the grace of the Spirit, "who is the Lord and giver of life", we have become
a people for life and we are called to act accordingly.
We have been sent. For us, being at the service of life is not a boast but rather a duty, born of our
awareness of being "God's own people, that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who
called us out of darkness into his marvellous light" (cf. 1 Pet 2:9). On our journey we are guided
and sustained by the law of love: a love which has as its source and model the Son of God made
man, who "by dying gave life to the world".[102]
We have been sent as a people. Everyone has an obligation to be at the service of life. This is a
properly "ecclesial" responsibility, which requires concerted and generous action by all the
members and by all sectors of the Christian community. This community commitment does not
however eliminate or lessen the responsibility of each individual, called by the Lord to "become
the neighbour" of everyone: "Go and do likewise" (Lk 10:37).
Together we all sense our duty to preach the Gospel of life, to celebrate it in the Liturgy and in
our whole existence, and to serve it with the various programmes and structures which support
and promote life.
80. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life... we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us" (1 Jn 1:1, 3). Jesus is the only Gospel: we have nothing further to say or any other witness to bear.
To proclaim Jesus is itself to proclaim life. For Jesus is "the word of life" (1 Jn 1:1). In him "life was made manifest" (1 Jn 1:2); he himself is "the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us" (1 Jn 1:2). By the gift of the Spirit, this same life has been bestowed on us. It is in being destined to life in its fullness, to "eternal life", that every person's earthly life acquires its full meaning.
Enlightened by this Gospel of life, we feel a need To proclaim it and to bear witness to it in all its marvellous newness. Since it is one with Jesus himself, who makes all things new [103] and conquers the "oldness" which comes from sin and leads to death,[104] this Gospel exceeds every human expectation and reveals the sublime heights to which the dignity of the human person is raised through grace. This is how Saint Gregory of Nyssa understands it: "Man, as a being, is of no account; he is dust, grass, vanity. But once he is adopted by the God of the universe as a son, he becomes part of the family of that Being, whose excellence and greatness no one can see, hear or understand. What words, thoughts or flight of the spirit can praise the superabundance of this grace? Man surpasses his nature: mortal, he becomes immortal; perishable, he becomes imperishable; fleeting, he becomes eternal; human, he becomes divine".[105]
Gratitude and joy at the incomparable dignity of man impel us to share this message with everyone: "that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us" (1 Jn 1:3). We need to bring the Gospel of life to the heart of every man and woman and to make it penetrate every part of society.
81. This involves above all proclaiming the core of this Gospel. It is the proclamation of a living
God who is close to us, who calls us to profound communion with himself and awakens in us the
certain hope of eternal life. It is the affirmation of the inseparable connection between the person,
his life and his bodiliness. It is the presentation of human life as a life of relationship, a gift of God,
the fruit and sign of his love. It is the proclamation that Jesus has a unique relationship with every
person, which enables us to see in every human face the face of Christ. It is the call for a "sincere
gift of self" as the fullest way to realize our personal freedom.
It also involves making clear all the consequences of this Gospel. These can be summed up as follows: human life, as a gift of God, is sacred and inviolable. For this reason procured abortion and euthanasia are absolutely unacceptable. Not only must human life not be taken, but it must be protected with loving concern. The meaning of life is found in giving and receiving love, and in this light human sexuality and procreation reach their true and full significance. Love also gives meaning to suffering and death; despite the mystery which surrounds them, they can become saving events. Respect for life requires that science and technology should always be at the service of man and his integral development. Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person's life.
82. To be truly a people at the service of life we must propose these truths constantly and
courageously from the very first proclamation of the Gospel, and thereafter in catechesis, in the
various forms of preaching, in personal dialogue and in all educational activity. Teachers,
catechists and theologians have the task of emphasizing the anthropological reasons upon which
respect for every human life is based. In this way, by making the newness of the Gospel of life
shine forth, we can also help everyone discover in the light of reason and of personal experience
how the Christian message fully reveals what man is and the meaning of his being and existence.
We shall find important points of contact and dialogue also with nonbelievers, in our common
commitment to the establishment of a new culture of life.
Faced with so many opposing points of view, and a widespread rejection of sound doctrine concerning human life, we can feel that Paul's entreaty to Timothy is also addressed to us: "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching" (2 Tim 4:2). This exhortation should resound with special force in the hearts of those members of the Church who directly share, in different ways, in her mission as "teacher" of the truth. May it resound above all for us who are Bishops: we are the first ones called to be untiring preachers of the Gospel of life. We are also entrusted with the task of ensuring that the doctrine which is once again being set forth in this Encyclical is faithfully handed on in its integrity. We must use appropriate means to defend the faithful from all teaching which is contrary to it. We need to make sure that in theological faculties, seminaries and Catholic institutions sound doctrine is taught, explained and more fully investigated.[106] May Paul's exhortation strike a chord in all theologians, pastors, teachers and in all those responsible for catechesis and the formation of consciences. Aware of their specific role, may they never be so grievously irresponsible as to betray the truth and their own mission by proposing personal ideas contrary to the Gospel of life as faithfully presented and interpreted by the Magisterium.
In the proclamation of this Gospel, we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and we must refuse
any compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the world's way of thinking (cf. Rom
12:2). We must be in the world but not of the world (cf. Jn 15:19; 17:16), drawing our strength
from Christ, who by his Death and Resurrection has overcome the world (cf. Jn 16:33).
83. Because we have been sent into the world as a "people for life", our proclamation must also
become a genuine celebration of the Gospel of life. This celebration, with the evocative power
of its gestures, symbols and rites, should become a precious and significant setting in which the
beauty and grandeur of this Gospel is handed on.
For this to happen, we need first of all to foster, in ourselves and in others, a contemplative
outlook.[107] Such an outlook arises from faith in the God of life, who has created every
individual as a "wonder" (cf. Ps 139:14). It is the outlook of those who see life in its deeper
meaning, who grasp its utter gratuitousness, its beauty and its invitation to freedom and
responsibility. It is the outlook of those who do not presume to take possession of reality but
instead accept it as a gift, discovering in all things the reflection of the Creator and seeing in every
person his living image (cf. Gen 1:27; Ps 8:5). This outlook does not give in to discouragement
when confronted by those who are sick, suffering, outcast or at death's door. Instead, in all these
situations it feels challenged to find meaning, and precisely in these circumstances it is open to
perceiving in the face of every person a call to encounter, dialogue and solidarity.
It is time for all of us to adopt this outlook, and with deep religious awe to rediscover the ability to revere and honour every person, as Paul VI invited us to do in one of his first Christmas messages.[108] Inspired by this contemplative outlook, the new people of the redeemed cannot but respond with songs of joy, praise and thanksgiving for the priceless gift of life, for the mystery of every individual's call to share through Christ in the life of grace and in an existence of unending communion with God our Creator and Father.
84. To celebrate the Gospel of life means to celebrate the God of life, the God who gives life: "We must celebrate Eternal Life, from which every other life proceeds. From this, in proportion to its capacities, every being which in any way participates in life, receives life. This Divine Life, which is above every other life, gives and preserves life. Every life and every living movement proceed from this Life which transcends all life and every principle of life. It is to this that souls owe their incorruptibility; and because of this all animals and plants live, which receive only the faintest glimmer of life. To men, beings made of spirit and matter, Life grants life. Even if we should abandon Life, because of its overflowing love for man, it converts us and calls us back to itself. Not only this: it promises to bring us, soul and body, to perfect life, to immortality. It is too little to say that this Life is alive: it is the Principle of life, the Cause and sole Wellspring of life. Every living thing must contemplate it and give it praise: it is Life which overflows with life".[109]
Like the Psalmist, we too, in our daily prayer as individuals and as a community, praise and bless
God our Father, who knitted us together in our mother's womb, and saw and loved us while we
were still without form (cf. Ps 139:13, 15-16). We exclaim with overwhelming joy: "I give you
thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. You know me through
and through" (Ps 139:14). Indeed, "despite its hardships, its hidden mysteries, its suffering and its
inevitable frailty, this mortal life is a most beautiful thing, a marvel ever new and moving, an event
worthy of being exalted in joy and glory".[110] Moreover, man and his life appear to us not only
as one of the greatest marvels of creation: for God has granted to man a dignity which is near to
divine (Ps 8:5-6). In every child which is born and in every person who lives or dies we see the
image of God's glory. We celebrate this glory in every human being, a sign of the living God, an
icon of Jesus Christ.
We are called to express wonder and gratitude for the gift of life and to welcome, savour and
share the Gospel of life not only in our personal and community prayer, but above all in the
celebrations of the liturgical year. Particularly important in this regard are the Sacraments, the
efficacious signs of the presence and saving action of the Lord Jesus in Christian life. The
Sacraments make us sharers in divine life, and provide the spiritual strength necessary to
experience life, suffering and death in their fullest meaning. Thanks to a genuine rediscovery and a
better appreciation of the significance of these rites, our liturgical celebrations, especially
celebrations of the Sacraments, will be ever more capable of expressing the full truth about birth,
life, suffering and death, and will help us to live these moments as a participation in the Paschal
Mystery of the Crucified and Risen Christ.
85. In celebrating the Gospel of life we also need to appreciate and make good use of the
wealth of gestures and symbols present in the traditions and customs of different cultures
and peoples. There are special times and ways in which the peoples of different nations and
cultures express joy for a newborn life, respect for and protection of individual human lives, care
for the suffering or needy, closeness to the elderly and the dying, participation in the sorrow of
those who mourn, and hope and desire for immortality.
In view of this and following the suggestion made by the Cardinals in the Consistory of 1991, I
propose that a Day for Life be celebrated each year in every country, as already established by
some Episcopal Conferences. The celebration of this Day should be planned and carried out with
the active participation of all sectors of the local Church. Its primary purpose should be to foster in individual consciences, in families, in the Church and in civil society a recognition of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition. Particular attention should be drawn to the seriousness of abortion and euthanasia, without neglecting other aspects of life which from time to time deserve to be given careful consideration, as occasion and circumstances demand.
86. As part of the spiritual worship acceptable to God (cf. Rom 12:1), the Gospel of life is to be
celebrated above all in daily living, which should be filled with self-giving love for others. In this
way, our lives will become a genuine and responsible acceptance of the gift of life and a heartfelt
song of praise and gratitude to God who has given us this gift. This is already happening in the
many different acts of selfless generosity, often humble and hidden, carried out by men and
women, children and adults, the young and the old, the healthy and the sick.
It is in this context, so humanly rich and filled with love, that heroic actions too are born. These
are the most solemn celebration of the Gospel of life, for they proclaim it by the total gift of
self. They are the radiant manifestation of the highest degree of love, which is to give one's life for
the person loved (cf. Jn 15:13). They are a sharing in the mystery of the Cross, in which Jesus
reveals the value of every person, and how life attains its fullness in the sincere gift of self. Over
and above such outstanding moments, there is an everyday heroism, made up of gestures of
sharing, big or small, which build up an authentic culture of life. A particularly praiseworthy
example of such gestures is the donation of organs, performed in an ethically acceptable manner,
with a view to offering a chance of health and even of life itself to the sick who sometimes have no other hope.
Part of this daily heroism is also the silent but effective and eloquent witness of all those "brave
mothers who devote themselves to their own family without reserve, who suffer in giving birth to
their children and who are ready to make any effort, to face any sacrifice, in order to pass on to
them the best of themselves".[111] In living out their mission "these heroic women do not always
find support in the world around them. On the contrary, the cultural models frequently promoted
and broadcast by the media do not encourage motherhood. In the name of progress and
modernity the values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice, to which a host of Christian wives and mothers
have borne and continue to bear outstanding witness, are presented as obsolete ... We thank you,
heroic mothers, for your invincible love! We thank you for your intrepid trust in God and in his
love. We thank you for the sacrifice of your life ... In the Paschal Mystery, Christ restores to you
the gift you gave him. Indeed, he has the power to give you back the life you gave him as an
offering".[112]
87. By virtue of our sharing in Christ's royal mission, our support and promotion of human life
must be accomplished through the service of charity, which finds expression in personal witness,
various forms of volunteer work, social activity and political commitment. This is a particularly
pressing need at the present time, when the "culture of death" so forcefully opposes the "culture
of life" and often seems to have the upper hand. But even before that it is a need which springs
from "faith working through love" (Gal 5:6). As the Letter of James admonishes us: "What does it
profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a
brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace,
be warmed and filled', without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So
faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (2: 14-17).
In our service of charity, we must be inspired and distinguished by a specific attitude: we
must care for the other as a person for whom God has made us responsible. As disciples of
Jesus, we are called to become neighbours to everyone (cf. Lk 10:29-37), and to show special
favour to those who are poorest, most alone and most in need. In helping the hungry, the thirsty,
the foreigner, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned--as well as the child in the womb and the old
person who is suffering or near death--we have the opportunity to serve Jesus. He himself said:
"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40). Hence we
cannot but feel called to account and judged by the ever relevant words of Saint John
Chrysostom: "Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not neglect it when you find it
naked. Do not do it homage here in the church with silk fabrics only to neglect it outside where it
suffers cold and nakedness".[113]
Where life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly consistent. It cannot tolerate
bias and discrimination, for human life is sacred and inviolable at every stage and in every
situation; it is an indivisible good. We need then to "show care" for all life and for the life of
everyone. Indeed, at an even deeper level, we need to go to the very roots of life and love.
It is this deep love for every man and woman which has given rise down the centuries to an
outstanding history of charity, a history which has brought into being in the Church and society
many forms of service to life which evoke admiration from all unbiased observers. Every Christian
community, with a renewed sense of responsibility, must continue to write this history through
various kinds of pastoral and social activity. To this end, appropriate and effective programmes of
support for new life must be implemented, with special closeness to mothers who, even without
the help of the father, are not afraid to bring their child into the world and to raise it. Similar care
must be shown for the life of the marginalized or suffering, especially in its final phases.
88. All of this involves a patient and fearless work of education aimed at encouraging one and all
to bear each other's burdens (cf. Gal 6:2). It requires a continuous promotion of vocations to
service, particularly among the young. It involves the implementation of long-term practical
projects and initiatives inspired by the Gospel.
Many are the means towards this end which need to be developed with skill and serious
commitment. At the first stage of life, centres for natural methods of regulating fertility should
be promoted as a valuable help to responsible parenthood, in which all individuals, and in the first
place the child, are recognized and respected in their own right, and where every decision is
guided by the ideal of the sincere gift of self. Marriage and family counselling agencies by their
specific work of guidance and prevention, carried out in accordance with an anthropology
consistent with the Christian vision of the person, of the couple and of sexuality, also offer
valuable help in rediscovering the meaning of love and life, and in supporting and accompanying
every family in its mission as the "sanctuary of life". Newborn life is also served by centres of
assistance and homes or centres where new life receives a welcome. Thanks to the work of
such centres, many unmarried mothers and couples in difficulty discover new hope and find
assistance and support in overcoming hardship and the fear of accepting a newly conceived life or
life which has just come into the world.
When life is challenged by conditions of hardship, maladjustment, sickness or rejection, other
programmes--such as communities for treating drug addiction, residential communities for
minors or the mentally ill, care and relief centres for AIDS patients, associations for
solidarity especially towards the disabled--are eloquent expressions of what charity is able to
devise in order to give everyone new reasons for hope and practical possibilities for life.
And when earthly existence draws to a close, it is again charity which finds the most appropriate
means for enabling the elderly, especially those who can no longer look after themselves, and the
terminally ill to enjoy genuinely humane assistance and to receive an adequate response to their
needs, in particular their anxiety and their loneliness. In these cases the role of families is
indispensable; yet families can receive much help from social welfare agencies and, if necessary,
from recourse to palliative care, taking advantage of suitable medical and social services
available in public institutions or in the home.
In particular, the role of hospitals, clinics and convalescent homes needs to be reconsidered.
These should not merely be institutions where care is provided for the sick or the dying. Above all
they should be places where suffering, pain and death are acknowledged and understood in their
human and specifically Christian meaning. This must be especially evident and effective in
institutes staffed by Religious or in any way connected with the Church.
89. Agencies and centres of service to life, and all other initiatives of support and solidarity which
circumstances may from time to time suggest, need to be directed by people who are generous
in their involvement and fully aware of the importance of the Gospel of life for the good of
individuals and society.
A unique responsibility belongs to health-care personnel: doctors, pharmacists, nurses,
chaplains, men and women religious, administrators and volunteers. Their profession calls
for them to be guardians and servants of human life. In today's cultural and social context, in
which science and the practice of medicine risk losing sight of their inherent ethical dimension,
health-care professionals can be strongly tempted at times to become manipulators of life, or even
agents of death. In the face of this temptation their responsibility today is greatly increased. Its
deepest inspiration and strongest support lie in the intrinsic and undeniable ethical dimension of
the health-care profession, something already recognized by the ancient and still relevant
Hippocratic Oath, which requires every doctor to commit himself to absolute respect for human
life and its sacredness.
Absolute respect for every innocent human life also requires the exercise of conscientious
objection in relation to procured abortion and euthanasia. "Causing death" can never be
considered a form of medical treatment, even when the intention is solely to comply with the
patient's request. Rather, it runs completely counter to the health-care profession, which is meant
to be an impassioned and unflinching affirmation of life. Biomedical research too, a field which
promises great benefits for humanity, must always reject experimentation, research or applications
which disregard the inviolable dignity of the human being, and thus cease to be at the service of
people and become instead means which, under the guise of helping people, actually harm them.
90. Volunteer workers have a specific role to play: they make a valuable contribution to the
service of life when they combine professional ability and generous, selfless love. The Gospel of
life inspires them to lift their feelings of good will towards others to the heights of Christ's charity;
to renew every day, amid hard work and weariness, their awareness of the dignity of every
person; to search out people's needs and, when necessary, to set out on new paths where needs
are greater but care and support weaker.
If charity is to be realistic and effective, it demands that the Gospel of life be implemented also
by means of certain forms of social activity and commitment in the political field, as a way of
defending and promoting the value of life in our ever more complex and pluralistic societies.
Individuals, families, groups and associations, albeit for different reasons and in different
ways, all have a responsibility for shaping society and developing cultural, economic, political and
legislative projects which, with respect for all and in keeping with democratic principles, will
contribute to the building of a society in which the dignity of each person is recognized and
protected and the lives of all are defended and enhanced.
This task is the particular responsibility of civil leaders. Called to serve the people and the
common good, they have a duty to make courageous choices in support of life, especially through
legislative measures. In a democratic system, where laws and decisions are made on the basis
of the consensus of many, the sense of personal responsibility in the consciences of individuals
invested with authority may be weakened. But no one can ever renounce this responsibility,
especially when he or she has a legislative or decision-making mandate, which calls that person to
answer to God, to his or her own conscience and to the whole of society for choices which may
be contrary to the common good. Although laws are not the only means of protecting human life,
nevertheless they do play a very important and sometimes decisive role in influencing patterns of
thought and behaviour. I repeat once more that a law which violates an innocent person's natural
right to life is unjust and, as such, is not valid as a law. For this reason I urgently appeal once
more to all political leaders not to pass laws which, by disregarding the dignity of the person,
undermine the very fabric of society.
The Church well knows that it is difficult to mount an effective legal defence of life in pluralistic
democracies, because of the presence of strong cultural currents with differing outlooks. At the
same time, certain that moral truth cannot fail to make its presence deeply felt in every
conscience, the Church encourages political leaders, starting with those who are Christians, not to
give in, but to make those choices which, taking into account what is realistically attainable, will
lead to the re-establishment of a just order in the defence and promotion of the value of life. Here
it must be noted that it is not enough to remove unjust laws. The underlying causes of attacks on
life have to be eliminated, especially by ensuring proper support for families and motherhood. A
family policy must be the basis and driving force of all social policies. For this reason there
need to be set in place social and political initiatives capable of guaranteeing conditions of true
freedom of choice in matters of parenthood. It is also necessary to rethink labour, urban,
residential and social service policies so as to harmonize working schedules with time available for
the family, so that it becomes effectively possible to take care of children and the elderly.
91. Today an important part of policies which favour life is the issue of population growth.
Certainly public authorities have a responsibility to "intervene to orient the demography of the
population".[114] But such interventions must always take into account and respect the primary
and inalienable responsibility of married couples and families, and cannot employ methods which
fail to respect the person and fundamental human rights, beginning with the right to life of every
innocent human being. It is therefore morally unacceptable to encourage, let alone impose, the use
of methods such as contraception, sterilization and abortion in order to regulate births. The ways
of solving the population problem are quite different. Governments and the various international
agencies must above all strive to create economic, social, public health and cultural conditions
which will enable married couples to make their choices about procreation in full freedom and
with genuine responsibility. They must then make efforts to ensure "greater opportunities and a
fairer distribution of wealth so that everyone can share equitably in the goods of creation.
Solutions must be sought on the global level by establishing a true economy of communion and
sharing of goods, in both the national and international order".[115] This is the only way to
respect the dignity of persons and families, as well as the authentic cultural patrimony of peoples.
Service of the Gospel of life is thus an immense and complex task. This service increasingly
appears as a valuable and fruitful area for positive cooperation with our brothers and sisters of
other Churches and ecclesial communities, in accordance with the practical ecumenism which
the Second Vatican Council authoritatively encouraged.[116] It also appears as a providential
area for dialogue and joint efforts with the followers of other religions and with all people of good
will. No single person or group has a monopoly on the defence and promotion of life. These
are everyone's task and responsibility. On the eve of the Third Millennium, the challenge facing
us is an arduous one: only the concerted efforts of all those who believe in the value of life can
prevent a setback of unforeseeable consequences for civilization.
92. Within the "people of life and the people for life", the family has a decisive responsibility.
This responsibility flows from its very nature as a community of life and love, founded upon
marriage, and from its mission to "guard, reveal and communicate love".[117] Here it is a matter
of God's own love, of which parents are co-workers and as it were interpreters when they
transmit life and raise it according to his fatherly plan.[118] This is the love that becomes
selflessness, receptiveness and gift.
Within the family each member is accepted, respected and honoured precisely because he or she
is a person; and if any family member is in greater need, the care which he or she receives is all
the more intense and attentive.
The family has a special role to play throughout the life of its members, from birth to death. It is
truly "the sanctuary of life: the place in which life--the gift of God--can be properly welcomed
and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance
with what constitutes authentic human growth".[119] Consequently the role of the family in
building a culture of life is decisive and irreplaceable.
As the domestic church, the family is summoned to proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of
life. This is a responsibility which first concerns married couples, called to be givers of life, on the
basis of an ever greater awareness of the meaning of procreation as a unique event which
clearly reveals that human life is a gift received in order then to be given as a gift. In giving
origin to a new life, parents recognize that the child, "as the fruit of their mutual gift of love, is, in
turn, a gift for both of them, a gift which flows from them".[120]
It is above all in raising children that the family fulfils its mission to proclaim the Gospel of life. By word and example, in the daily round of relations and choices, and through concrete actions and signs, parents lead their children to authentic freedom, actualized in the sincere gift of self, and they cultivate in them respect for others, a sense of justice, cordial openness, dialogue, generous service, solidarity and all the other values which help people to live life as a gift. In raising children Christian parents must be concerned about their children's faith and help them to fulfil the vocation God has given them. The parents' mission as educators also includes teaching and giving their children an example of the true meaning of suffering and death. They will be able to do this if they are sensitive to all kinds of suffering around them and, even more, if they succeed in fostering attitudes of closeness, assistance and sharing towards sick or elderly members of the family.
93. The family celebrates the Gospel of life through daily prayer, both individual prayer and family prayer. The family prays in order to glorify and give thanks to God for the gift of life, and implores his light and strength in order to face times of difficulty and suffering without losing hope. But the celebration which gives meaning to every other form of prayer and worship is found in the family's actual daily life together, if it is a life of love and self-giving.
This celebration thus becomes a service to the Gospel of life, expressed through solidarity as
experienced within and around the family in the form of concerned, attentive and loving care
shown in the humble, ordinary events of each day. A particularly significant expression of
solidarity between families is a willingness to adopt or take in children abandoned by their
parents or in situations of serious hardship. True parental love is ready to go beyond the bonds of
flesh and blood in order to accept children from other families, offering them whatever is
necessary for their well-being and full development. Among the various forms of adoption,
consideration should be given to adoption-at-a-distance, preferable in cases where the only
reason for giving up the child is the extreme poverty of the child's family. Through this type of
adoption, parents are given the help needed to support and raise their children, without their being
uprooted from their natural environment.
As "a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good",[121] solidarity
also needs to be practised through participation in social and political life. Serving the Gospel
of life thus means that the family, particularly through its membership of family associations,
works to ensure that the laws and institutions of the State in no way violate the right to life, from
conception to natural death, but rather protect and promote it.
94. Special attention must be given to the elderly. While in some cultures older people remain a
part of the family with an important and active role, in others the elderly are regarded as a useless
burden and are left to themselves. Here the temptation to resort to euthanasia can more easily
arise.
Neglect of the elderly or their outright rejection are intolerable. Their presence in the family, or at
least their closeness to the family in cases where limited living space or other reasons make this
impossible, is of fundamental importance in creating a climate of mutual interaction and enriching
communication between the different age-groups. It is therefore important to preserve, or to
re-establish where it has been lost, a sort of "covenant" between generations. In this way parents,
in their later years, can receive from their children the acceptance and solidarity which they
themselves gave to their children when they brought them into the world. This is required by
obedience to the divine commandment to honour one's father and mother (cf. Ex 20:12; Lev
19:3). But there is more. The elderly are not only to be considered the object of our concern,
closeness and service. They themselves have a valuable contribution to make to the Gospel of
life. Thanks to the rich treasury of experiences they have acquired through the years, the elderly
can and must be sources of wisdom and witnesses of hope and love.
Although it is true that "the future of humanity passes by way of the family",[122] it must be admitted that modern social, economic and cultural conditions make the family's task of serving life more difficult and demanding. In order to fulfil its vocation as the "sanctuary of life", as the cell of a society which loves and welcomes life, the family urgently needs to be helped and supported. Communities and States must guarantee all the support, including economic support, which families need in order to meet their problems in a truly human way. For her part, the Church must untiringly promote a plan of pastoral care for families, capable of making every family rediscover and live with joy and courage its mission to further the Gospel of life.
95. "Walk as children of light... and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the
unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph 5:8, 10-11). In our present social context, marked by a
dramatic struggle between the "culture of life" and the "culture of death", there is need to develop
a deep critical sense, capable of discerning true values and authentic needs.
What is urgently called for is a general mobilization of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life. All together, we must build a new culture of life: new, because it will be able to confront and solve today's unprecedented problems affecting human life; new, because it will be adopted with deeper and more dynamic conviction by all Christians; new, because it will be capable of bringing about a serious and courageous cultural dialogue among all parties. While the urgent need for such a cultural transformation is linked to the present historical situation, it is also rooted in the Church's mission of evangelization. The purpose of the Gospel, in fact, is "to transform humanity from within and to make it new".[123] Like the yeast which leavens the whole measure of dough (cf. Mt 13:33), the Gospel is meant to permeate all cultures and give them life from within,[124] so that they may express the full truth about the human person and about human life.
We need to begin with the renewal of a culture of life within Christian communities themselves. Too often it happens that believers, even those who take an active part in the life of the Church, end up by separating their Christian faith from its ethical requirements concerning life, and thus fall into moral subjectivism and certain objectionable ways of acting. With great openness and courage, we need to question how widespread is the culture of life today among individual Christians, families, groups and communities in our Dioceses. With equal clarity and determination we must identify the steps we are called to take in order to serve life in all its truth. At the same time, we need to promote a serious and in-depth exchange about basic issues of human life with everyone, including non-believers, in intellectual circles, in the various professional spheres and at the level of people's everyday life.
96. The first and fundamental step towards this cultural transformation consists in forming
consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every human life. It is of the
greatest importance to re-establish the essential connection between life and freedom. These
are inseparable goods: where one is violated, the other also ends up being violated. There is no
true freedom where life is not welcomed and loved; and there is no fullness of life except in
freedom. Both realities have something inherent and specific which links them inextricably: the
vocation to love. Love, as a sincere gift of self,[125] is what gives the life and freedom of the
person their truest meaning.
No less critical in the formation of conscience is the recovery of the necessary link between
freedom and truth. As I have frequently stated, when freedom is detached from objective truth it
becomes impossible to establish personal rights on a firm rational basis; and the ground is laid for
society to be at the mercy of the unrestrained will of individuals or the oppressive totalitarianism
of public authority.[126]
It is therefore essential that man should acknowledge his inherent condition as a creature to whom
God has granted being and life as a gift and a duty. Only by admitting his innate dependence can
man live and use his freedom to the full, and at the same time respect the life and freedom of
every other person. Here especially one sees that "at the heart of every culture lies the attitude
man takes to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God".[127] Where God is denied and people
live as though he did not exist, or his commandments are not taken into account, the dignity of the
human person and the inviolability of human life also end up being rejected or compromised.
97. Closely connected with the formation of conscience is the work of education, which helps
individuals to be ever more human, leads them ever more fully to the truth, instils in them growing
respect for life, and trains them in right interpersonal relationships.
In particular, there is a need for education about the value of life from its very origins. It is an illusion to think that we can build a true culture of human life if we do not help the young to accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and in their close interconnection. Sexuality, which enriches the whole person, "manifests its inmost meaning in leading the person to the gift of self in love".[128] The trivialization of sexuality is among the principal factors which have led to contempt for new life. Only a true love is able to protect life. There can be no avoiding the duty to offer, especially to adolescents and young adults, an authentic education in sexuality and in love, an education which involves training in chastity as a virtue which fosters personal maturity and makes one capable of respecting the "spousal" meaning of the body.
The work of educating in the service of life involves the training of married couples in
responsible procreation. In its true meaning, responsible procreation requires couples to be
obedient to the Lord's call and to act as faithful interpreters of his plan. This happens when the
family is generously open to new lives, and when couples maintain an attitude of openness and
service to life, even if, for serious reasons and in respect for the moral law, they choose to avoid a
new birth for the time being or indefinitely. The moral law obliges them in every case to control
the impulse of instinct and passion, and to respect the biological laws inscribed in their person. It
is precisely this respect which makes legitimate, at the service of responsible procreation, the use
of natural methods of regulating fertility. From the scientific point of view, these methods are
becoming more and more accurate and make it possible in practice to make choices in harmony
with moral values. An honest appraisal of their effectiveness should dispel certain prejudices
which are still widely held, and should convince married couples, as well as health-care and social
workers, of the importance of proper training in this area. The Church is grateful to those who,
with personal sacrifice and often unacknowledged dedication, devote themselves to the study and
spread of these methods, as well to the promotion of education in the moral values which they
presuppose.
The work of education cannot avoid a consideration of suffering and death. These are a
part of human existence, and it is futile, not to say misleading, to try to hide them or ignore them.
On the contrary, people must be helped to understand their profound mystery in all its harsh
reality. Even pain and suffering have meaning and value when they are experienced in close
connection with love received and given. In this regard, I have called for the yearly celebration of
the World Day of the Sick, emphasizing "the salvific nature of the offering up of suffering which,
experienced in communion with Christ, belongs to the very essence of the Redemption".[129]
Death itself is anything but an event without hope. It is the door which opens wide on eternity
and, for those who live in Christ, an experience of participation in the mystery of his Death and
Resurrection.
98. In a word, we can say that the cultural change which we are calling for demands from
everyone the courage to adopt a new life-style, consisting in making practical choices--at the
personal, family, social and international level--on the basis of a correct scale of values: the
primacy of being over having,[130] of the person over things.[131] This renewed life-style
involves a passing from indifference to concern for others, from rejection to acceptance of
them. Other people are not rivals from whom we must defend ourselves, but brothers and sisters
to be supported. They are to be loved for their own sakes, and they enrich us by their very
presence.
In this mobilization for a new culture of life no one must feel excluded: everyone has an
important role to play. Together with the family, teachers and educators have a particularly
valuable contribution to make. Much will depend on them if young people, trained in true
freedom, are to be able to preserve for themselves and make known to others new, authentic
ideals of life, and if they are to grow in respect for and service to every other person, in the family
and in society.
Intellectuals can also do much to build a new culture of human life. A special task falls to
Catholic intellectuals, who are called to be present and active in the leading centres where culture
is formed, in schools and universities, in places of scientific and technological research, of artistic
creativity and of the study of man. Allowing their talents and activity to be nourished by the living
force of the Gospel, they ought to place themselves at the service of a new culture of life by
offering serious and well documented contributions, capable of commanding general respect and
interest by reason of their merit. It was precisely for this purpose that I established the Pontifical
Academy for Life, assigning it the task of "studying and providing information and training about
the principal problems of law and biomedicine pertaining to the promotion of life, especially in the
direct relationship they have with Christian morality and the directives of the Church's
Magisterium".[132] A specific contribution will also have to come from Universities, particularly
from Catholic Universities, and from Centres, Institutes and Committees of Bioethics.
An important and serious responsibility belongs to those involved in the mass media, who are called to ensure that the messages which they so effectively transmit will support the culture of life. They need to present noble models of life and make room for instances of people's positive and sometimes heroic love for others. With great respect they should also present the positive values sometimes heroic love for others. With great respect they should also present the positive values of sexuality and human love, and not insist on what defiles and cheapens human dignity. In their interpretation of things, they should refrain from emphasizing anything that suggests or fosters feelings or attitudes of indifference, contempt or rejection in relation to life. With scrupulous concern for factual truth, they are called to combine freedom of information with respect for every person and a profound sense of humanity.
99. In transforming culture so that it supports life, women occupy a place, in thought and action,
which is unique and decisive. It depends on them to promote a "new feminism" which rejects the
temptation of imitating models of "male domination", in order to acknowledge and affirm the true
genius of women in every aspect of the life of society, and overcome all discrimination, violence
and exploitation.
Making my own the words of the concluding message of the Second Vatican Council, I address
to women this urgent appeal: "Reconcile people with life".[133] You are called to bear witness
to the meaning of genuine love, of that gift of self and of that acceptance of others which are
present in a special way in the relationship of husband and wife, but which ought also to be at the
heart of every other interpersonal relationship. The experience of motherhood makes you acutely
aware of the other person and, at the same time, confers on you a particular task: "Motherhood
involves a special communion with the mystery of life, as it develops in the woman's womb . . .
This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude
towards human beings not only towards her own child, but every human being, which profoundly
marks the woman's personality".[134] A mother welcomes and carries in herself another human
being, enabling it to grow inside her, giving it room, respecting it in its otherness. Women first
learn and then teach others that human relations are authentic if they are open to accepting the
other person: a person who is recognized and loved because of the dignity which comes from
being a person and not from other considerations, such as usefulness, strength, intelligence,
beauty or health. This is the fundamental contribution which the Church and humanity expect from women. And it is the indispensable prerequisite for an authentic cultural change.
I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is
aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that
in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet
have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to
discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it
honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to
repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. You will come to understand that nothing is definitively lost and you
will also be able to ask forgiveness from your child, who is now living in the Lord. With the
friendly and expert help and advice of other people, and as a result of your own painful
experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone's right to life. Through
your commitment to life, whether by accepting the birth of other children or by welcoming and
caring for those most in need of someone to be close to them, you will become promoters of a
new way of looking at human life.
100. In this great endeavour to create a new culture of life we are inspired and sustained by the
confidence that comes from knowing that the Gospel of life, like the Kingdom of God itself, is
growing and producing abundant fruit (cf. Mk 4:26-29). There is certainly an enormous disparity
between the powerful resources available to the forces promoting the "culture of death" and the
means at the disposal of those working for a "culture of life and love". But we know that we can
rely on the help of God, for whom nothing is impossible (cf. Mt 19:26).
Filled with this certainty, and moved by profound concern for the destiny of every man and woman, I repeat what I said to those families who carry out their challenging mission amid so many difficulties:[135] a great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer. Jesus himself has shown us by his own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil (cf. Mt 4:1-11). As he taught his disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except in this way (cf. Mk 9:29). Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit: the watts which conceal from the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters the evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life. May this same power turn their hearts to resolutions and goals inspired by the civilization of life and love.
101. "We are writing you this that our joy may be complete" (1 Jn 1:4). The revelation of the
Gospel of life is given to us as a good to be shared with all people: so that all men and women
may have fellowship with us and with the Trinity (cf. 1 Jn 1:3). Our own joy would not be
complete if we failed to share this Gospel with others but kept it only for ourselves.
The Gospel of life is not for believers alone: it is for everyone. The issue of life and its defence
and promotion is not a concern of Christians alone. Although faith provides special light and
strength, this question arises in every human conscience which seeks the truth and which cares
about the future of humanity. Life certainly has a sacred and religious value, but in no way is that
value a concern only of believers. The value at stake is one which every human being can grasp
by the light of reason; thus it necessarily concerns everyone.
Consequently, all that we do as the "people of life and for life" should be interpreted correctly and welcomed with favour. When the Church declares that unconditional respect for the right to life of every innocent person--from conception to natural death--is one of the pillars on which every civil society stands, she "wants simply to promote a human State. A State which recognizes the defence of the fundamental rights of the human person, especially of the weakest, as its primary duty".[136]
The Gospel of life is for the whole of human society. 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. A society lacks solid
foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and
peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a
variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or
marginalized. Only respect for life can be the foundation and guarantee of the most precious and
essential goods of society, such as democracy and peace.
There can be no true democracy without a recognition of every person's dignity and without
respect for his or her rights.
Nor can there be true peace unless life is defended and promoted. As Paul VI pointed out:
"Every crime against life is an attack on peace, especially if it strikes at the moral conduct of
people... But where human rights are truly professed and publicly recognized and defended,
peace becomes the joyful and operative climate of life in society".[137]
The "people of life" rejoices in being able to share its commitment with so many others. Thus may
the "people for life" constantly grow in number and may a new culture of love and solidarity
develop for the true good of the whole of human society.
Chapter III | Conclusion
101. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (8 December 1975), 14: AAS 68 (1976), 13.
102. Cf. Roman Missal, prayer of the celebrant before communion.
103. Cf. SAINT IRENAEUS: "Omnem novitatem attulit, semetipsum afferens, qui fuerat annuntiatus", Adversus Haereses: IV, 34, 1: SCh 100/2, 846-847.
104. Cf. SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, "Peccator inveterascit, recedens a novitate Christi", In Psalmos Davidis Lectura: 6, 5.
105. De Beatitudinibus, Oratio VII: PG 44, 1280.
106. Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor (6 August 1993), 116: AAS 85 (1993), 1224.
107. Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 37: AAS 83 (1991), 840.
108. Cf. Message for Christmas 1967: AAS 60 (1968), 40.
109. PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE, On the Divine Names, 6, 1-3: PG 3, 856-857.
110. PAUL VI, Pensiero alla Morte, Istituto Paolo VI, Brescia 1988, 24.
111. JOHN PAUL II, Homily for the Beatification of Isidore Bakanja, Elisabetta Canori Mora and Gianna Beretta Molla (24 April 1994): L'Osservatore Romano, 25-26 April 1994, 5.
112. Ibid.
113. IN Matthaeum, Hom. L. 3: PG 58, 508.
114. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2372.
115. JOHN PAUL II, Address to the Fourth General Conference of Latin American Bishops in Santo Domingo (12 October 1992 ), No. 15: AAS 85 (1993), 819.
116. Cf. Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, 12; Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 90.
117. JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (22 November 1981), 17: AAS 74 (1982), 100.
118. Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 50.
119. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 39 AAS 83(1991), 842.
120. JOHN PAUL II, Address to Participants in the Seventh Symposium of European Bishops, on the theme of "Contemporary Attitudes towards Life and Death: a Challenge for Evangelization" (17 October 1989), No. 5: Insegnamenti XII, 2 (1989), 945.Children are presented in the Biblical tradition precisely as God's gift (cf. Ps 127:3) and as a sign of his blessing on those who walk in his ways (cf. Ps 128 3-4).
121. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (30 December 1987), 38: AAS 80 (1988), 565-566.
122. JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (22 November 1981), 86: AAS 74 (1982), 188.
123. PAUL VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (8 December 1975), 18: AAS 68 (1976), 17.
124. Cf. ibid., 20: loc. cit, 18.
125. Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 24.
126. Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 17: AAS 83 (1991), 814; Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor (6 August 1993), 95-101: AAS 85 (1993), 1208-1213.
127. JOHN PAUL II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus (1 May 1991), 24: AAS 83 (1991), 822.
128. JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (22 November 1981), 37 AAS 74 (1982), 128.
129. Letter establishing the World Day of the Sick (13 May 1992) No. 2 Insegnamenti XV, 1 (1992), 1410.
130. Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 35; PAUL VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio (26 March 1967), 15: AAS 59 (1967), 265.
131. Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Letter to Families Gratissimam sane (2 February 1994), 13: AAS 86 (1994), 892.
132. JOHN PAUL II, Motu Proprio Vitae Mysterium (11 February 1994), 4: AAS 86 (1994), 386-387.
133. Closing Messages of the Council (8 December 1965): To Women.
134. JOHN PAUL II, Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (15 August 1988), 18: AAS 80 (1988), 1696.
135. Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Letter to Families Gratissimam sane (2 February 1994), 5: AAS 86 (1994), 872.
136. JOHN PAUL II, Address to Participants in the Study Conference on "The Right to Life in Europe" (18 December 1987): Insegnamenti X, 3 ( 1987), 1446.
137. Message for the 1977 World Day of Peace: AAS 68 (1976), 711-712.