Archdiocese of boston pro-life office     

   

UPHOLDING THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN LIFE
 Who is my neighbor?  Luke 10:29-37
We invite you to reflect on Jesus’ question “Who is my neighbor?” in light of Pope St. John’s Paul’s magnificent encyclical “The Gospel of Life” (Evangelium Vitae) – where he writes: “The Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel.”

Resources for being part of pro-life ministry in the Archdiocese of Boston

“Life is sacred. Life is a mystery. Life must be protected, nurtured, respected. The Gospel of Life is the centerpiece of the Church’s social teaching…It is our task to witness to the truth that love, compassion and solidarity can build a just society that will be safer for the poor, the unborn and those on the periphery.”                                                                             +Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap
                                                                                                                                                                      Pro-Life Homily- 1/23/20

 What does it mean to be “pro-life”?

Being pro-life certainly means opposing abortion but, for Catholics, being pro-life also means more than just opposing abortion. The Church calls us to care for and respect the dignity of life at all stages, from its earliest days in the womb to the time of our natural death – and at all stages in between. 

In a special way, we are called to provide care to the most vulnerable and marginalized among us which includes the unborn, the terminally ill, those with severe disabilities, those in poverty , those on death row, and refugees and migrants around the world who have been displaced by war, famine and civil unrest. 

In its Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities: A Campaign in Support of Life, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explains why abortion and other threats to human dignity are important to be addressed:

“Among important issues involving the dignity of human life with which the Church is concerned, abortion necessarily plays a central role. … [Abortion’s] victims are the most vulnerable and defenseless members of the human family. It is imperative that those who are called to serve the least among us give urgent attention and priority to this issue of justice..."

To focus on the evil of deliberate killing in abortion and euthanasia is not to ignore the many other urgent conditions that demean human dignity and threaten human rights. Opposing abortion and euthanasia "does not excuse indifference to those who suffer from poverty, violence and injustice. Any politics of human life must work to resist the violence of war and the scandal of capital punishment. Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing and health care" (Living the Gospel of Life, no. 23). We pray that Catholics will be advocates for the weak and the marginalized in all these areas.
 
This website has been developed by the Pro Life Office of the Archdiocese of Boston to help Catholics become better informed about what it means to be “pro-life” and to encourage participation in the Church’s pro-life ministries. It is based on the vision of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro Life Activities for a comprehensive response in building a culture of life in our Church and society. We invite questions and comments at and encourage you to join your prayers, compassion, and advocacy to promote the dignity of life made in the image and likeness of God.