By MaryAnn Wallen
Diocese of Wilmington
October is designated by the Catholic church as Respect Life Month, a time to reaffirm the sanctity of human life. While this observance often focuses on the fight against abortion, the fullness of the Catholic tradition calls for a more expansive understanding of what it means to be “pro-life.” True respect for life begins with the unborn but does not end there; it extends to every human person, from conception to natural death, and requires us to confront the “throwaway culture” the late Pope Francis so often warned against.
The modern “culture of death” manifests in many forms. It is not only present in the abortion clinic but also in the indifference shown to refugees fleeing violence, in the neglect of the uninsured and the hungry, in the casual dismissal of the sick and elderly, and in the dehumanization of those on death row. To authentically embrace the Catholic pro-life stance, we must reject the false choice between protecting the unborn and caring for the vulnerable. These are not competing priorities but two inseparable parts of the same moral imperative.
This is why, as Catholics, our commitment to life must be consistent and all-encompassing. We cannot champion the unborn while ignoring the suffering of the living. We must advocate for policies that create a just society where every life is protected and supported, and every person is treated with dignity. This means supporting pregnant women and new mothers, but also ensuring healthcare access for the sick, welcoming the immigrant and ministering to the lonely and despairing.
This past May, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed into law physician-assisted suicide, legalizing medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults in Delaware. As a diocese, we must advocate for greater resources for palliative care and hospice, which focus on managing pain and providing emotional, social and spiritual support for the terminally ill and their caregivers so that no one believes themselves to be a burden. We must recognize that suffering is multi-dimensional. We must address the physical pain, as well as the emotional and spiritual distress which can often reduce a person’s fear of death and desire to hasten it. On an individual and family level, Catholics can prepare for end-of-life decisions in accordance with their faith:
- Create a Catholic Advance Directive: while the church supports the use of advance directives, it opposes any directive that would request euthanasia or assisted suicide. A Catholic advance directive can clearly state your wishes for end-for-life care while adhering to the church’s teachings, such as the obligation to accept “ordinary” care but the freedom to refuse “extraordinary” or burdensome treatments.
- Appoint a healthcare proxy: designate a trusted family member or friend to make medical decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. This person should be someone who understands and will respect your Catholic beliefs.
- Receive the sacraments: As a Catholic approaches death, the sacraments of reconciliation, anointing of the sick, and Viaticum (holy Communion) can provide great spiritual strength, peace and healing.
- Discern and pray: The church acknowledges that determining what constitutes “extraordinary” care can be difficult. It encourages careful discernment, discussion with doctors and spiritual directors and prayer.
This October, and always, let us move beyond partisan rhetoric and rediscover the radical call of the Gospel of Life to create a culture of life. Let us act with the compassion of St. Joseph, who safeguarded Jesus and Mary in their vulnerability. Let us pray and act with the courage of our convictions, not just by opposing what we believe is wrong, but by building up a new culture of life — one based on love, not fear, on solidarity, not indifference. When we commit ourselves to a consistent ethic of life, our witness becomes more powerful, and we begin to build the kind of world that God dreams of, one in which every human person is cherished as a masterpiece of his creation.
MaryAnn Wallen is Office for Respect Life director for the Diocese of Wilmington.
