Human Life & Dignity
Moral uncertainty can in some way be explained by the gravity of today’s social problems, sometimes mitigating the responsibility of individuals, but it is no less true that we are confronted by a true structure of sin, which takes the form of a “culture of death.” This culture denies solidarity and is fostered by currents that encourage a society that is excessively concerned with efficiency. It is in a certain sense a war of the powerful against the poor.
— St. John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, no. 12
The Challenge of Promoting the Culture of Life
Although an authentic interpretation of the Church’s teaching on many life issues may seem to fit into one political party platform or the other, the Church’s timeless teaching transcends the bipartisan polarity of the political system in the United States. Rather than stemming from a secular political philosophy, the Church’s understanding of the human person in light of the Gospel of Life informs her action in the political sphere. As a result, the Indiana Catholic Conference advocates for or against certain issues, but never for a political platform or candidate.
Central to the work of the Indiana Catholic Conference is the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person from conception to natural death. The Church considers the right to life the “first among all rights and the condition for all the other rights of the person” (CSD 553). The ICC, therefore, takes seriously the commitment to oppose all manifestations of the “culture of death”, namely:
Abortion
Death Penalty
Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide
In order to uphold the dignity of the human person consistently, the Indiana Catholic Conference also seeks to eliminate other practices which perniciously violate the human person:
Racism
Poverty
Pornography
Human Trafficking
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Promotion of Contraception
The Indiana Catholic Conference also recognizes the need to advocate for policies which build up and sanctify the social order through an informed reading of the Church’s social teaching, including:
Life-Affirming Health Care
Compassionate and Just Treatment of Migrants
Reforming Criminal Justice and Restorative Justice
Reasonable Gun Safety Measures
For more in-depth information on each of the issues mentioned above click a link below or contact us.
Resources:
Indiana Catholic Conference Death Penalty Brochure
A Catholic Guide to Advance Directives (click here for ESPANOL)