Justice and the Right to Life

By Mike Girard

I am grateful to be teaching in a school system which in principle is pro-life and which upholds the sanctity of human life. This year I am teaching Religion to Grade 9 and Grade 12 students. In the two Grade 12 sections, I am currently in Unit Four which is entitled, "Justice and the Right to Life ." I am very excited about this new course as I have not had the opportunity before to cover these topics in this manner. I see my wonderful opportunity to further the pro-life view and message as a ray of hope in the very apparent anti-God and anti-life culture we live in today.

This is the introductory note I gave the students, paraphrased from the Teacher's Manual:

"Abortion is the leading social justice issue facing people and societies today. In allowing people to kill innocent unborn children, denying them their lives and their dignity as human beings loved and redeemed by God, society threatens the lives of all people. In response to the 'culture of death' which perpetuates abortion, the Church calls Christians to share several truths regarding this issue:

a) That humans do not enjoy absolute freedom of actions.

b) That God is the author of life.

c) That sex is sacred and should be reserved for marriage where children will be welcomed.

d) That the family is a God-given unit and the basic building block of society that goes beyond two individuals.

e) That adoption is always a better solution to the difficulty of an unplanned pregnancy than abortion.

On the other end of life, euthanasia and assisted suicide are also becoming increasingly accepted by those seeking to end what they perceive to be the 'problem' of suffering. Unfortunately, euthanasia is often sought by family members who feel inconvenienced or financially drained by relatives who are chronically and terminally ill. To this vision the Church offers its own: suffering has meaning and a redemptive significance; it joins us to God."

Objective of each unit

To enable the student to:

A. Abortion

•  articulate the Catholic teaching on abortion.

•  understand the rate of abortions performed in Canada and the US as well as the types of abortion procedures done.

•  identify some of the root causes of the wide practice of abortions.

•  commit themselves to the cause of life by being willing to stand on behalf of the unborn.

•  pray not only for aborted babies, but for all of those who have participated in abortions, asking God to help them seek forgiveness.

•  dedicate themselves to chastity as a concrete means of living a pro-life existence.

B. Euthanasia

•  articulate the Church's teaching on euthanasia.

•  be able to distinguish between ordinary and extraordinary methods of medical treatment.

•  identify the mind set of people which contributes to the growing popularity of euthanasia.

•  recognize the redemptive value of suffering.

•  commit themselves to true compassion for the suffering and to reject euthanasia.

•  demonstrate love and compassion for the aged and infirm.

C. Capital Punishment

•  articulate the Church's position on capital punishment.

•  understand the purpose of punishment in general.

•  pray for both the victims of crime and their victimizers.

•  see that affirming the value of human life motivates both sides of the capital punishment debate within Catholicism.

•  recognize that the practical application of some Catholic social teachings can change as societies develop.

D. Consistent life ethic

•  articulate the "consistent ethic of life" or "seamless garment" theory of pro-life.

•  recognize the wide variety of life issues on which the bishops speak.

•  commit themselves to the pro-life cause.

I am up to the challenge of attempting to meet the stated objectives with the students. I am well aware that some students are not very open and receptive to hearing what they need to learn. I will persevere and fulfill my mandate to present Catholic teaching in a Catholic school. I expect to meet with success in some areas, while not so successful in other areas. Perhaps I will share my experience with you in a subsequent issue. Wish me luck. Pray for me!

Mike Girard is a high-school teacher at St. Mary's College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario . He can be reached at:

(705) 941-9588

girardm@shaw.ca