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We Catholics have always believed that each person is made in God's own image. Therefore every human life is sacred; every person beloved by God. This affirmation of life--of the intrinsic worth of each individual regardless of background, education or personal accomplishment--is at the core of Catholic values.
This belief in the sacredness of all creation, especially of all human beings, has led us as Catholics to a consistent "ethic of life." This affirmation of life has been compared to a seamless garment, in which each part is equally important and cannot be removed without damage to the entire garment. |
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God is present to each of us every moment of our lives, but there are occasions when we Catholics take time out to worship as a family. We do this usually in our neighborhood Catholic church (called a parish) and in the company of our fellow believers and the priests and lay ministers who lead us. As God's people we come together at least every Sunday (or Saturday evening) because God holds a central place in our lives and because we want to celebrate Jesus' continuing gift of himself to us. We do this through the words and actions of the Mass, also called the Celebration of the Eucharist. |
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All of us human beings, no matter what our beliefs, have felt the presence of a Power beyond ourselves. We may have sensed it in the splendor of a sunset or the crash of waves upon the beach. We have felt it almost tangibly in the smile of a child or the loving arms of a friend. Inwardly we have heard the call of eternity even as we have struggled to leave a lasting mark on the world as we pass through. But, like all those before us, we have also witnessed the destructive powers of nature. We have seen the atrocities of war, the unkindness of others, and even the dark side of ourselves. These challenges and contradictions force us to look within ourselves. And searching for meaning and inner peace, we try to balance the ugliness with the beauty, the pain with the joy, death with life.
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In the history of the Church, many of the men and women we honor as "Saints" were people who were extraordinarily dedicated to making life more human and more hopeful for all of us.
The Tradition continues today as Catholics in every segment of our society work to realize the vision of the prophet Isaiah as it is recorded in the Bible.
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But Catholics affirm more than the value of simply existing. Throughout the centuries the Church has issued strong statements calling for social justice: statements pleading the cause of the homeless, the laborer, the politically oppressed, the hungry, even the environment.
All over the world Church members work side by side with the poor in their struggle for a better life, and a leader like Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador is gunned down because of his public stand on behalf of the poor. In many cities, locally organized groups work to sensitize those of us who are more fortunate to the experience of poverty and the examples of injustice all around us. Awareness of these issues on our part is the beginning of compassion and a personal commitment. |
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