During the month of July, Pope Leo XIV is asking us to join him in praying that human life will be respected. The Catholic Church has long taught that respect for the sanctity of human life is a fundamental response to our faith in Christ. The roots of this belief are deeply theological and can be traced back to our conviction that God made man and woman in His image and that our fleeting life on Earth is merely preparation for the eternal life that Jesus purchased for us through his crucifixion and resurrection.
In recent U.S. history, Catholic respect for human life was manifested most prominently in opposition to abortion and euthanasia; however, over the past few decades, the Church has begun to emphasize the necessity of respecting the sanctity of all life from birth to natural death. This expansion of understanding has driven the Church’s emphasis on care for the poor and the environment, racial justice, safeguarding children, welcome for the immigrant, and rejection of the death penalty and warfare.
During his pontificate, Pope Leo has often highlighted the value of human life which he reminds us is freely bestowed on every person and never earned.
He has also been critical of those who select which “life issues” they agree with the Church on. In fact, in October of last year, he said, “Someone who says, ‘I am against abortion’ but says ‘I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life. Someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
You can pray with Pope Leo and access a reflection on respecting human life here.
You can also pray the following prayer from the USCCB:
God of all life,
Help us to appreciate the great gift that is human life
formed in your image, a reflection of your holiness.Help us to recognize you
in all whom you have created:
children not yet born,
families affected by poverty and war,
people of different abilities,
people from other lands, and
all who are victims of hatred and racism.Help us to bear witness to the dignity of all whom you have created,
regardless of stage of life,
or wealth,
or ability,
or color, or creed,
for every person is fully equal in your loving eyes.Share with us your holy knowledge
that we are all your children,
each bestowed with inherent dignity.May your justice reign forever!
Amen.
Image: “Michelangelo, God creating Adam, detail” (CC BY 2.0) by Prof. Mortel
Ariane Sroubek is a writer, school psychologist and mother to two children here on earth. Prior to converting to Catholicism, she completed undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in School and Child Clinical Psychology. Ariane’s writing is inspired by her faith, daily life experiences and education. She is currently writing a women's fiction novel and a middle-grade mystery series. Her non-fiction book, Raising Sunshine: A Guide to Parenting Through the Aftermath of Infant Death is available on Amazon. More of her work can be found at https://mysustaininggrace.com.
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