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Vatican document on violations of human dignity

on Wednesday, 01 May 2024. Posted in Church teachings

Following approval by Pope Francis, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published a major statement on respect for human dignity on April 8, 2024, entitled Dignitas Infinita ("Infinite Dignity"), signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery. Announced several weeks ago, and the fruit of five years'work, some feared that this document would "dilute" or call into question the Church's traditional teaching in order to be more acceptable to today's society.

Thank God, the Church has refused to make this compromise, and has remained faithful to its mission of witnessing to the truth, and gives in this document a list of the various actions that gravely violate the dignity of the human person, including what the Church has traditionally called the four "sins that cry out to heaven" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1867): Murder or manslaughter (see Gen 4:10, Cain killing his brother Abel); the sin of the Sodomites (homosexual acts, see Gen 18:20 and Gen 19:13); oppression of the poor (see Ex 3:7-10 and Ex 22:20-22); injustice to the wage-earner (see Deut 24:14-15 and Jas 5:4).

The Church therefore always condemns abortion (the greatest crime of all, since it denies an innocent child the possibility of existence) and homosexual acts, which are a grave deviation. However, the Church also condemns economic crimes, which can also cause the loss of souls and the suffering of entire peoples. And it's on this point that this document brings an interesting novelty: whereas many groups today tend to oppose these two types of sin and focus on only one (either abortion or social justice): pro-life groups denouncing abortion, but not dealing with economic injustices and, similarly, groups dealing with social justice who will rather overlook moral crimes like abortion, or even accept them.

To this dichotomic vision of things, this document responds that a true Christian must not make this separation, but rather must deal with both types of attack on the dignity of the person. The document also condemns new types of sins against the human person that didn't exist just a few years ago: gender theory, which seeks to deny the difference between man and woman, surrogate motherhood (mothers who rent out their bodies to carry the babies of another couple), euthanasia and assisted suicide, and so on.

In this document, the Church recalls that what underpins the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, voted 75 years ago, on December 10, 1948, by the General Assembly of the United Nations, what gives every human being an undeniable dignity and primacy, is the fact that he or she was created in the image and likeness of God: "Created by God and redeemed by Christ, every human being must be recognized and treated with respect and love, precisely because of his or her inalienable dignity". Here are some extracts from this document:

by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández

The Old Testament

In Exodus, at the heart of the Old Testament, God shows himself to be the one who hears the cry of the poor, sees the misery of his people, and cares for those who are least and for the oppressed (cf. Ex. 3:7; 22:20-26). The same teaching can be found in the Deuteronomic Code (cf. Dt. 12-26); here, the teaching on rights is transformed into a manifesto of human dignity, particularly in favor of the threefold category of the orphan, the widow, and the stranger (cf. Dt. 24:17). The ancient precepts of Exodus are recalled and applied to the moment in the preaching of the prophets, who represent the critical conscience of Israel.

The prophets Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, and Jeremiah have entire chapters denouncing injustice. Amos bitterly decries the oppression of the poor and his listeners' failure to recognize any fundamental human dignity in the destitute (cf. Am. 2:6-7; 4:1; 5:11-12). Isaiah pronounces a curse against those who trample on the rights of the poor, denying them all justice: "Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice" (Is. 10:1-2).

This prophetic teaching is echoed in Wisdom Literature. For example, Sirach equates the oppression of the poor with murder: "To take away a neighbor's living is to murder him; to deprive an employee of his wages is to shed blood" (Sir. 34:22). In the Psalms, the religious relationship with God comes through the defense of the weak and needy: "Do justice for the weak and the orphan; give justice to the poor and afflicted. Rescue the weak and the needy; set them free from the hand of the wicked" (Ps. 82:3-4).

The New Testament

Jesus identifies with the least of his brethren: "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt. 25:40). In biblical language, the "little ones" are not only the children, but are also the vulnerable, the most insignificant, the outcast, the oppressed, the discarded, the poor, the marginalized, the unlearned, the sick, and those who are downtrodden by the powerful. The glorious Christ will judge by the love of neighbor that consists in ministering to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, with whom he identifies (cf. Mt. 25:34-36).

For Jesus, the good done to every human being, regardless of the ties of blood or religion, is the single criterion of judgment. The apostle Paul affirms that every Christian must live according to the requirements of dignity and respect for the rights of all people (cf. Rom. 13:8-10) according to the new commandment of love (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-13).

The present era

Today, the term "dignity" is mainly used to emphasize the uniqueness of the human person, incomparable to all other entities in the universe. From this perspective, we can understand how the word "dignity" was used in the 1948 United Nations Declaration, which speaks about "the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family." Only this inalienable character of human dignity makes it possible to speak about human rights.

To clarify the concept of dignity even further, it is essential to point out that dignity is not something granted to the person by others based on their gifts or qualities, such that it could be withdrawn. Were it so bestowed, it would be given in a conditional and alienable way, and then the very meaning of dignity (however worthy of great respect) would remain exposed to the risk of being abolished. Instead, dignity is intrinsic to the person: it is not conferred subsequently (a posteriori), it is prior to any recognition, and it cannot be lost. All human beings possess this same intrinsic dignity, regardless of whether or not they can express it in a suitable manner.

After the Creation and the Incarnation, Christ's Resurrection reveals a further aspect of human dignity. Indeed, "the dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God," (Gaudium et Spes, no. 19) destined to last forever. Thus, "the dignity of this life is linked not only to its beginning, to the fact that it comes from God, but also to its final end, to its destiny of fellowship with God in knowledge and love of him. In the light of this truth, Saint Irenaeus qualifies and completes his praise of man:'the glory of God'is indeed,'man, living man, 'but' the life of man consists in the vision of God.'" (Saint John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae, no. 38.)

Some serious violations of human dignity

In addressing some of the many grave violations of human dignity today, we can draw upon the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized that "all offenses against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, and willful suicide" must be recognized as contrary to human dignity. (Gaudium et Spes, no. 27.) Furthermore, the Council affirmed that "all violations of the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, physical and mental torture, undue psychological pressures," also infringe upon our dignity. (Ibidem.) Finally, it denounced "all offenses against human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children, degrading working conditions where individuals are treated as mere tools for profit rather than free and responsible persons." (Ibidem.) (…)

The Drama of Poverty

While not claiming to be exhaustive, the following paragraphs draw attention to some grave violations of human dignity that are particularly relevant. One of the phenomena that contributes significantly to denying the dignity of so many human beings is extreme poverty, linked as it is to the unequal distribution of wealth. As Pope St. John Paul II emphasized, "One of the greatest injustices in the contemporary world consists precisely in this: that the ones who possess much are relatively few and those who possess almost nothing are many. It is the injustice of the poor distribution of the goods and services originally intended for all." (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no. 28.) Moreover, it would be misleading to make a cursory distinction between "rich" and "poor" countries, for Benedict XVI recognized that "the world's wealth is growing in absolute terms, but inequalities are on the increase. In rich countries, new sectors of society are succumbing to poverty and new forms of poverty are emerging. In poorer areas, some groups enjoy a sort of 'super-development' of a wasteful and consumerist kind, which forms an unacceptable contrast with the ongoing situations of dehumanizing deprivation." The " 'scandal of glaring inequalities' continues," (Caritas in Veritate, no. 22) where the dignity of the poor is doubly denied because of the lack of resources available to meet their basic needs and the indifference shown toward them by their neighbors.

War

Another tragedy that denies human dignity, both in the past and today, is war: "War, terrorist attacks, racial or religious persecution, and many other affronts to human dignity […]'have become so common as to constitute a real 'third world war' fought piecemeal.'" (Pope Francis, Message for the 2016 World Day of Peace):

"While reaffirming the inalienable right to self-defense and the responsibility to protect those whose lives are threatened, we must acknowledge that war is always a 'defeat of humanity.' No war is worth the tears of a mother who has seen her child mutilated or killed; no war is worth the loss of the life of even one human being, a sacred being created in the image and likeness of the Creator; no war is worth the poisoning of our common home; and no war is worth the despair of those who are forced to leave their homeland and are deprived, from one moment to the next, of their home and all the family, friendship, social and cultural ties that have been built up, sometimes over generations."

Abortion

The Church consistently reminds us that "the dignity of every human being has an intrinsic character and is valid from the moment of conception until natural death. It is precisely the affirmation of such dignity that is the inalienable prerequisite for the protection of a personal and social existence, and also the necessary condition for fraternity and social friendship to be realized among all the peoples of the earth." On account of the intangible value of human life, the Church's magisterium has always spoken out against abortion. In this regard, Pope St. John Paul II writes:

"Among all the crimes which can be committed against life, procured abortion has characteristics making it particularly serious and deplorable. […] But today, in many people's consciences, the perception of its gravity has become progressively obscured. The acceptance of abortion in the popular mind, in behavior, and even in law itself is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense, which is becoming more and more incapable of distinguishing between good and evil, even when the fundamental right to life is at stake. Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to convenient compromises or to the temptation of self-deception. In this regard, the reproach of the Prophet is extremely straightforward: 'Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness' (Is. 5:20).

Especially in the case of abortion, there is a widespread use of ambiguous terminology, such as 'interruption of pregnancy,' which tends to hide abortion's true nature and to attenuate its seriousness in public opinion. Perhaps this linguistic phenomenon is itself a symptom of an uneasiness of conscience. But no word has the power to change the reality of things: procured abortion is the deliberate and direct killing, by whatever means it is carried out, of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence, extending from conception to birth. (Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, no. 58.)

Unborn children are, thus, "the most defenseless and innocent among us. Nowadays, efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this." (Pope Francis, Apost. Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, no. 213.)

Surrogacy

The Church also takes a stand against the practice of surrogacy, through which the immensely worthy child becomes a mere object. On this point, Pope Francis's words have a singular clarity: "The path to peace calls for respect for life, for every human life, starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother's womb, which cannot be suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking. In this regard, I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother's material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract. Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally. (Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, January 8, 2024.)

First and foremost, the practice of surrogacy violates the dignity of the child. Indeed, every child possesses an intangible dignity that is clearly expressed — albeit in a unique and differentiated way — at every stage of his or her life: from the moment of conception, at birth, growing up as a boy or girl, and becoming an adult. Because of this unalienable dignity, the child has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver. Moreover, acknowledging the dignity of the human person also entails recognizing every dimension of the dignity of the conjugal union and of human procreation. Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a "right to a child" that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life.

Surrogacy also violates the dignity of the woman, whether she is coerced into it or chooses to subject herself to it freely. For, in this practice, the woman is detached from the child growing in her and becomes a mere means subservient to the arbitrary gain or desire of others. This contrasts in every way with the fundamental dignity of every human being and with each person's right to be recognized always individually and never as an instrument for another.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide

There is a special case of human dignity violation that is quieter but is swiftly gaining ground. It is unique in how it utilizes a mistaken understanding of human dignity to turn the concept of dignity against life itself. This confusion is particularly evident today in discussions surrounding euthanasia. For example, laws permitting euthanasia or assisted suicide are sometimes called "death with dignity acts."

With this, there is a widespread notion that euthanasia or assisted suicide is somehow consistent with respect for the dignity of the human person. However, in response to this, it must be strongly reiterated that suffering does not cause the sick to lose their dignity, which is intrinsically and inalienably their own. Instead, suffering can become an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of mutual belonging and gain greater awareness of the precious value of each person to the whole human family.

Certainly, the dignity of those who are critically or terminally ill calls for all suitable and necessary efforts to alleviate their suffering through appropriate palliative care and by avoiding aggressive treatments or disproportionate medical procedures. This approach corresponds with the "enduring responsibility to appreciate the needs of the sick person: care needs, pain relief, and affective and spiritual needs." However, an effort of this nature is entirely different from — and is indeed contrary to — a decision to end one's own life or that of another person who is burdened by suffering. Even in its sorrowful state, human life carries a dignity that must always be upheld, that can never be lost, and that calls for unconditional respect.

Indeed, there are no circumstances under which human life would cease from being dignified and could, as a result, be put to an end: "Each life has the same value and dignity for everyone: the respect of the life of another is the same as the respect owed to one's own life." Therefore, helping the suicidal person to take his or her own life is an objective offense against the dignity of the person asking for it, even if one would be thereby fulfilling the person's wish: "We must accompany people towards death, but not provoke death or facilitate any form of suicide. Remember that the right to care and treatment for all must always be prioritized so that the weakest, particularly the elderly and the sick, are never rejected. Life is a right, not death, which must be welcomed, not administered. And this ethical principle concerns everyone, not just Christians or believers." (Pope Francis, General Audience, February 9, 2022.) As mentioned above, the dignity of each person, no matter how weak or burdened by suffering, implies the dignity of us all.

Gender theory

The Church highlights the definite critical issues present in gender theory. On this point, Pope Francis has reminded us that "the path to peace calls for respect for human rights, in accordance with the simple yet clear formulation contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose seventy-fifth anniversary we recently celebrated. These principles are self-evident and commonly accepted. Regrettably, in recent decades, attempts have been made to introduce new rights that are neither fully consistent with those originally defined nor always acceptable. They have led to instances of ideological colonization, in which gender theory plays a central role; the latter is extremely dangerous since it cancels differences in its claim to make everyone equal." (Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, January 8, 2024.)

Regarding gender theory, whose scientific coherence is the subject of considerable debate among experts, the Church recalls that human life in all its dimensions, both physical and spiritual, is a gift from God. This gift is to be accepted with gratitude and placed at the service of the good. Desiring a personal self-determination, as gender theory prescribes, apart from this fundamental truth that human life is a gift, amounts to a concession to the age-old temptation to make oneself God, entering into competition with the true God of love revealed to us in the Gospel.

Another prominent aspect of gender theory is that it intends to deny the greatest possible difference that exists between living beings: sexual difference. This foundational difference is not only the greatest imaginable difference but is also the most beautiful and most powerful of them. In the male-female couple, this difference achieves the most marvelous of reciprocities. It thus becomes the source of that miracle that never ceases to surprise us: the arrival of new human beings in the world.

In this sense, respect for both one's own body and that of others is crucial in light of the proliferation of claims to new rights advanced by gender theory. This ideology "envisages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the anthropological basis of the family." (Pope Francis, Apost. Exhort. Amoris Laetitia, no. 56.) It thus becomes unacceptable that "some ideologies of this sort, which seek to respond to what are at times understandable aspirations, manage to assert themselves as absolute and unquestionable, even dictating how children should be raised. (Ibidem)…

Therefore, all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected: "We cannot separate the masculine and the feminine from God's work of creation, which is prior to all our decisions and experiences, and where biological elements exist which are impossible to ignore." Only by acknowledging and accepting this difference in reciprocity can each person fully discover themselves, their dignity, and their identity.

Sex change

Teaching about the need to respect the natural order of the human person, Pope Francis affirmed that "creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created." It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception. This is not to exclude the possibility that a person with genital abnormalities that are already evident at birth or that develop later may choose to receive the assistance of healthcare professionals to resolve these abnormalities. However, in this case, such a medical procedure would not constitute a sex change in the sense intended here.

Conclusion

With the present Declaration, ardently urges that respect for the dignity of the human person beyond all circumstances be placed at the center of the commitment to the common good and at the center of every legal system. Indeed, respect for the dignity of each person is the indispensable basis for the existence of any society that claims to be founded on just law and not on the force of power. Acknowledging human dignity forms the basis for upholding fundamental human rights, which precede and ground all civic coexistence.

           Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández, Prefect

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