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Information & Education
Our Father "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth". He "is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish" (CCC 2822).
Intrinsic evils are becoming societal norms. It is the duty of individuals and Catholic leadership to strengthen their defenses by sharing the truths made known to us through the Holy Spirit and the Church’s Founding Fathers. The Respect Life Office has compiled this information so that all may strive to grow closer to God.
Click on the sections below to expand them and view more information.
Abortion
God loves each human life from the instant of his or her conception, and entrusts this gift to the protection of a mother and father. Abortion ends the life of a child and offends God. It also deeply wounds the men and women involved (USCCB, Abortion).
The Church's Constant Teaching, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law" (CCC 2271).
Resources:
Church's Constant Teaching
Enseñanza perenne de la Iglesia
Declaration on procured Abortion
Evangelium Vitae / Value and Inviolability of Human Life
Assisted Suicide / Euthanasia
"You shall not kill" is the fifth commandant given to us by God. There is no justified reason to take a human life. "God alone is the Lord of life, from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." (CCC 2258).
Resources:
To Live Each Day with Dignity
Vivir dignamente cada día
The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering
Declaration on Euthanasia
Stem Cell Research
"Sometimes it is wrongly said that the Catholic Church opposes stem cell research. In fact, the Church supports ethically responsible stem cell research, while opposing any research that exploits or destroys human embryos.... The Catholic Church has long supported research using stem cells from adult tissue and umbilical cord blood, which poses no moral problem. Catholic institutions at times have taken the lead in promoting such constructive research, which is already providing cures and treatments for suffering patients" (USCCB, Catholic Support For Ethically Acceptable Stem Cell Research).
Resources:
The Ethics of Stem Cell Research
Declaration on the Production and the Scientific and Therapeutic Use of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Homosexual Marriage
A great defense of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony as a union between one man and one woman is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes" (CCC 1603).
Resources:
Infertility: Hope & Help
Catholic Church Teachings
Released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, this document grapples with a number of bioethical questions raised in response to modern technological advancements in the field of human fertility and infertility. Using the principles of Catholic moral teaching, the document brings clarity and truth to the debates surrounding both procreation and genetic manipulation.
Dignitas personae(On Certain Bioethical Questions). 2008, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, this text is the predecessor to the above document, Dignitas personae. Written in the midst of significant medical innovation on assisted reproductive technology, this document defends the gift and dignity of human life (particularly in its earliest stages), against the onset of intrusive and immoral scientific innovation.
Donum vitae (Instruction on Respect for Human Life). 1987, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
If you are struggling with infertility and are searching for answers, consider contacting WholeLife Authentic Care, which is located near downtown Fort Worth.
Resources
- USCCB: Reproductive Technology
- USCCB: Infertility
- Infertility Treatments
- The Saint Paul VI InstituteThe Study of Human Reproduction is building a culture of life in women’s health care through its major developments — Creighton Model FertilityCare System and NaProTechnology.
- Hope for Married Couples Who Want to Have a ChildBy John T. Bruchalski, MD, FACOG
Parish Respect Life Ministry
Would you like to start a Respect Life ministry at your parish? Are you being called to be part of your parish’s Respect Life Leadership? We can help! Contact our office for more information.
Parish Resources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Donum Vitae: Instruction on Respect for Human Life February 22, 1987, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Humanae Vitae: on Human Life
- National Catholic Bioethics Center
- USCCB: Pro -Life Tools
- USCCB: Pro Life Activities
Contacts:
Theresa Schauf
Respect Life Coordinator
817-945-9359
Melissa Loza
Administrative Assistant
817-945-9356
The Diocese of Fort Worth is dedicated to a Safe Environment. We offer extensive and mandatory training for all employees and volunteers. Please contact the Safe Environment office if you need assistance or to report an abuse or concern.
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