Christ the Cornerstone

All life is sacred, so we must honor the dignity of every person

Catholic social teaching is founded on the principle that all life is sacred. Every human being, made in the image and likeness of God, is unique and irreplaceable, and it is our solemn responsibility, as individuals and as a society, to protect and defend all human life from conception until natural death.

In “Peace and Unity: A Pastoral Reflection,” which was published on Aug. 28, the memorial of St. Augustine, I write:

Because all life is sacred, we must always respect human life and dignity. This is why we work for an end to the inhumane practices of abortion, euthanasia and every instance of what Pope Saint John Paul II called “the culture of death.” Even the death penalty, which was tolerated in the past as a deterrent against violent crime and as a means of protecting society at large, must be rejected. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches, “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” (#2267).

Our society’s quest for peace and unity demands that we pay attention to the degrading effect of the death penalty on society. This is a controversial topic, but the taking of human life, even by the state, perpetuates a culture of death, reaching into the very fabric of the human conscience.

In my pastoral reflection, I ask: “How can families of both victims and perpetrators of violence as well as those who are charged with carrying out acts of capital punishment not be impacted by this scourge of our penal system?” Always and everywhere—even on death row—the inherent dignity of a person remains. We need only consider Jesus’ words to the thief hanging next to him on the cross, who asked to be remembered: “This day, you will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43).

As taught in the documents of the Second Vatican Council (cf. “Gaudium et Spes,” #27), respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that “everyone should look upon his neighbor [without any exception] as ‘another self,’ above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity.” No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the charity that finds in every man a “neighbor,” a brother. The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. Jesus said: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

This same duty extends to those who think or act differently from us. The teaching of Christ requires our forgiveness of offenses. He extends God’s commandment of love to all enemies. Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred of one’s enemy as a person, but not with hatred of the evil that he does as an enemy. (CCC, #1931-1933)

As “Peace and Unity: A Pastoral Reflection” makes clear:

Any credible peace and stable unity—predicated on the principles of accompaniment, dialogue, dignity, encounter, respect and solidarity—necessarily require that inherent rights be upheld and basic human needs be met. There are certain inalienable rights that must be honored, especially regarding the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized. No person, family, or community can exist without access to clean water, nutritional food, proper housing, medical care, and dignified livelihood.

These are not luxuries or negotiables, but essential needs of every human being. Such basics are necessary for all people, regardless of religion or ethnicity, in Gaza, Ukraine or any other region of the world, including local communities and neighborhoods.

This is also true for those incarcerated and those being detained solely based on immigration or refugee status. Indiscriminate arrests, unjust detainment, and inhumane treatment are morally unacceptable. 

All sins against the dignity of persons, including the taking of a human life, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, rape, racism, sexism, nativism and homophobia are violations of this fundamental principle. We can (and sometimes must) disapprove of the behavior of others, but we may never belittle, disrespect or abuse others simply because of our differences, no matter how serious.

Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the principle that “Christians are called to build bridges, not walls” (Pope Francis). Whether in politics, race relations, economic crises or disputes among families or local communities, let us accept the challenge to be peacemakers, to find common ground and to engage in respectful dialogue.
 

(To read Archbishop Thompson’s pastoral reflection in English and Spanish, go to archindy.org/pastoral2025. Study questions are available at facebook.com/ArchdioceseofIndianapolis.) †