Why all life is worthy of our protection and care

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

All life is sacred, especially the lives of those who are most vulnerable—the aged, infirm, disabled and unborn. All life is sacred, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Even the lives of heinous criminals, terrorists and psychopathic killers must be respected because all life is sacred…

In society today—and even in the Church—we too often look for exceptions to this fundamental principle of our Christian faith. We know that life is sacred, but aren’t there times when we have to soften our stance? Self-defense is surely an example of a situation where it’s OK to take the life of another. 

Even self-defense, which is a morally acceptable exception, is a tragedy, an act of violence caused by one who forces us to defend ourselves. Self-defense is permissible, even necessary at times, but it is not “OK.” Any time a human life is taken, the sanctity of life is diminished.

What about extreme cases such as rape or incest? Isn’t abortion permissible (even if regrettable) under these circumstances? What about serial killers? Isn’t capital punishment the surest way to guarantee the common good?

What about end-of-life situations or terminal illnesses where no “quality of life” appears to exist? Isn’t it an act of mercy to help someone “die with dignity,” or escape from certain excruciating pain?

No. All life is sacred (that is, holy, of God).

Click here to continue reading Cardinal Tobin’s column Rejoice in the Lord.