Chapter 29 — "The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life"

OPENING PRAYER

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith,
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light:
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek to be
consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to etrnal life. Amen.

—St. Francis of Assisi
"THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: PROMOTE THE CULTURE OF LIFE"
—CCC, Nos. 2258–2330
Do you respect the inherent goodness and dignity of all human life?

God’s generative love creates all life and makes it sacred. “God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning to its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for [oneself] the right directly to destroy an innocent human being” (CCC, no. 2258).

We are called to create a culture of life. The Fifth Commandment’s “You Shall Not Kill” calls us to foster the spiritual, physical, emotional, psychological, and social well-being of ourselves and others. It forbids murder and any life-threatening acts. It requires us to recognize that human freedom and conscience needs to be consistent with and to follow God’s intention, values, and laws that govern moral life and human dignity, rather than values based on relativism or the utility of a person.

This commandment forbids the intentional murder of any person. However, self-defense and the defense of others for whom we are morally responsible to protect against the acts of an unjust aggressor, is morally permitted. The deliberate killing of an aggressor is permitted only when the threat cannot be eliminated and no other solution is possible.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) reports that between 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court “legalized” abortion in Roe v. Wade, and 2014, more than 43 million abortions were reported to the CDC. This number does not account for unreported or self-induced abortions and those that occurred throughout the rest of the world. The Church has always condemned abortions and proclaims that the right to life begins at conception and continues until natural death. However, the Church extends its mercy and compassion to those persons who regret having had an abortion and to those facing difficult life situations in that regard.

The Church teaches that this commandment also forbids the destruction of fertilized eggs, stem-cell research of human embryos (but allows the use of stem cells from consenting adults), cloning, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and the death penalty where “non-lethal means [such as imprisonment for life] are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor…” (CCC, no. 2267). The Church also speaks to the many difficult issues involving war, weapons and military action, and the effects of terrorism.

This commandment is also concerned with the care we show for each other’s moral life. The sin of scandal is where a person’s words or actions, or the laws of an institution, lead others to believe that evil or sinful behavior is acceptable and not morally wrong.

Please read this week USCCA,Chapter 29, "The Fifth Commandment: Promote the Culture of Life," (pages 387–402), the CCC, Nos. 2258–2330, (pages 544–559), and the Compendium, Nos. 466–486
VIDEOS

Pope Francis "Pro Life" Geeting

"A Project Rachel Story"

"The Fifth Commandment" (Fr. Dan O'Reilly)

Pope Francis Comments to U.S. Congress on the Death Penalty

On Catholics and the Death Penalty (Sr. Helen Prejean)

"Catholics and the Death Penalty" (California Catholic Conference)

"You Shall Not Kill" - CCC 2214-2283 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Respect of Person" - CCC 2284-2301 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Avoiding War" - CCC 2302-2330 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)
MUSIC

"Christ Be Our Light"

"Be Not Afraid"

"Let There Be Peace on Earth"

"Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" (St. Francis Prayer)
OTHER RESOURCES

"Catechism Commentary: The Fifth Commandment"

"Life and Dignity of the Human Person" (USCCB)

Project Rachel - Hope after Abortion

Pro-Life Acitivities (USCCB)

"Fact Sheet on Induced Abortions in the U.S." (Guttmacher Institute)

Death Penalty Information Center

Spending on Military Defense

"List of Wars by Death Toll" (Wikipedia)

Pax Christi USA

"Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (United Nations)
REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

What do I do to promote the dignity of human life?

Will I commit myself to learn more about the teachings of the Church regarding the sanctity of all human life from “womb to tomb”?
We encourage and invite you to  spend time to reflect, pray, and write in your journal about what you have read, seen, heard, or experienced this week. You can find some questions you may wish to consider here.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, in now, and ever shall be.
Amen.