Dignitas Personae concludes with several “quotable quotes”:
Section 36: “There are those who say that the moral teaching of the Church contains too many prohibitions…..human history shows, however, how man has abused and can continue to abuse the power and capabilities which God has entrusted to him, giving rise to various forms of unjust discrimination and oppression of the weakest and most defenseless…..history has also shown real progress in the understanding and recognition of the value and dignity of every person as the foundation of the rights….by which human society has been, and continues to be structured….Thus, …there are …prohibitions of racism, slavery, unjust discrimination and marginalization of women, children, and ill and disabled people.”
In Section 37: “Just as a century ago it was the working classes which were oppressed in their fundamental rights, and the Church courageously came to their defense by proclaiming the sacrosanct rights of the worker as person, so now, when another category of persons is being oppressed in the fundamental right to life, the Church feels in duty bound to speak out with the same courage on behalf of those who have no voice. Hers is always the evangelical cry in defense of the world’s poor, those who are threatened and despised and whose human rights are violated…..Behind every “no” in the difficult task of discerning between good and evil, there shines a great “yes” to the recognition of the dignity and inalienable value of every single and unique human being called into existence.”
Let us recommit ourselves with energy to promoting the culture of life. I again would urge you to read the entire instruction. You can find it on: www.usccb.org/comm/Dignitaspersonae/index.shtml
