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In an August 2015 column in The Washington Post, George F. Will argued in favor of physician-assisted suicide, summing up his perspective this way: “There is nobility in . . . affirming at the end the distinctive human dignity of autonomous choice.”
His conclusion, however, raises several important questions: Shouldn’t death-dealing actions directed against ourselves be seen as a deep repudiation of our autonomy, insofar as suicide eliminates our personal freedom once and for all?
When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio received the 77 votes to become pope during the conclave on March 13, his friend, Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil, told him, “Don’t forget the poor.”
Pope Francis took the words of his friend to heart and chose to be named after St. Francis of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”
Time and time again, Pope Francis has emphasized the need for respect for all human life at all its stages, but especially for children (pre-born and born), the poor, the disabled, the sick, and the elderly.
In his October 4 visit to Assisi, the home of his namesake, Pope Francis — as he often does — took time to meet personally with sick and disabled persons. Man of them reached out to him, clasped his hand, and talked with him.
I couldn’t help think that St. Francis would have been so happy to see Pope Francis — the Vicar of Christ on earth — living out the Gospel message he preached in Assisi.
We all know that we will eventually face illness, disabilities, and death of our family members, friends, and ourselves. Despite the inevitability, it is difficult to think about and even more difficult to talk about issues involving sickness and dying.
Yet, these are issues we must confront and deal with — and our faith can provide a great deal of guidance and support. As we conclude Respect Life Month, we should remember that respect for life must encompass respect for the disabled, the elderly, the sick, and the dying.
To the editor:
Picture driving past a school playground during recess or lunch; you are observing the joyful children romping and playing freely! We could take this all for granted and in stride, never realizing that the vacant spots on the playground could have been filled by children who were brutally killed by a planned ABORTION!
This procedure, approved by our Supreme Court in 1973 involving the case of Roe vs. Wade, has unfortunately been legalized for the past 38 years.
We’ve all heard the old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This saying was meant to convey the idea that people cannot really hurt you by what they say, only by what they do physically.
As we reflect this week on the mass shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that killed six people and wounded 14 others, we realize that both parts of that saying are true. Physical violence, of course, does cause harm. But words can also hurt people and perhaps lead to physical violence.
We don’t know the full story behind why the alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, decided to shoot U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords while she was meeting with some of her constituents outside a supermarket in Tucson.
