Gulf Pine Catholic

14 Gulf Pine Catholic • October 16, 2020 1 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States, Introductory Letter, p. 6. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2020. www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/upload/form-ing-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship.pdf 2 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1995), 11. Excerpts from Evangelium vitae , © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission. All rights reserved. iStock.com/SDI Productions; iStock.com/damircudic; iStock.com/YsaL. Models used for illustrative purposes only. Photos used with permission. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Please find the full text of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship at www.faithfulcitizenship.org. Priorities at the Polls From page 13 We are called to reverence and love every human person as ourselves. It is our responsibility to care for and protect human life, especially the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Evangelium vitae teaches us that “the task of accepting and serving life involves everyone; and this task must be fulfilled above all towards life when it is at its weakest.” 10 Pope John Paul II wrote, “The Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel.” 11 The Gospel of Jesus is the Gospel of Life, and to love Jesus is to love and serve life. As followers of Christ, may we strive to continually respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable entrusted to us by God. Excerpts from Evangelium vitae © 1995, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission. All rights reserved. iStock.com/SDI Productions. Models used for illus- trative purposes only. Photos used with permission. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. 1 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1995), 81. 2 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 86. 3 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 58. 4 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 80. 5 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 95. 6 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 80. 7 Ibid . 8 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 87. 9 Ibid . 10 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 43. 11 Pope John Paul II, Evangelium vitae , 2. Serving Moms in Need From page 10 The Gospel of Life From page 9 Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life. Each life is a gift from God and ultimately belongs to him. He has sole authority over life and death. We are therefore called to reverence and love every human person, loving our neighbors as ourselves. It is our responsibility to care for and protect human life, especially the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Having received the gift of the Gospel of life, we are the people of life and a people for life. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of life to the world. To proclaim Jesus is to proclaim life itself. Gratitude and joy at the incomparable dignity of the human person impel us to bring the Gospel of life to the hearts of all people and make it penetrate every part of society. In every child which is born, and in every person who lives or dies, we see the image of God’s glory. We celebrate this glory in every human being, a sign of the living God, an icon of Jesus Christ. *Cf. Evangelium vitae © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City. Summary comprised of quotes and adaptations used with permission. All rights reserved. iStock.com/Florin Patrunjel; iStock. com/Goodboy Picture Company. Models used for illustrative purposes only. Photos used with permission. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.