The consistent ethic of life, an active commitment to protect all human life and promote the dignity of all, is being tested in new and challenging ways. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and its repercussions have generated intense conflict and underscored our responsibility to listen to and learn from the experiences of women, protect unborn human life, and offer concrete support to women and children. Other compelling issues of life and death haunt our nation, including the continued imposition of the death penalty; racial, economic, and environmental injustice; and conflicts and horrific violence in countries around the world. People are too often treated as numbers and things, not as children of God worthy of protection and care.
For Catholics and others of good will, this is a test of our faith and humanity and an inescapable challenge. We are called to build an authentic culture of life that defends the inviolable dignity of all human beings; to pursue dialogue and resist ideological approaches; to stand in solidarity with the vulnerable; and to consistently and effectively defend human life and dignity in violent times. This dialogue focused in particular on the responsibility and opportunity to stand with and advocate for life-giving material and social support for women and children in need.
This dialogue with four outstanding leaders explored how the U.S. Catholic Church can effectively advance the common good through a principled and active commitment to the consistent ethic of life, and how we can advance this commitment in our lives, public policy efforts, on-the-ground work, and advocacy for the most vulnerable. It focused on how to make support for low-income children and their families a moral and national priority.
Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative and member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, moderated the discussion.
Resources
View articles, podcasts, and other resources for this dialogue.
