This document discusses Catholic teachings on issues relating to human dignity, including abortion, suicide, euthanasia, capital punishment, and end-of-life care. It addresses the church's views that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. While some acts like abortion and euthanasia are intrinsically wrong, issues like capital punishment involve complex moral discernment. The document also describes the Catholic sacrament of Anointing of the Sick as offering spiritual healing and comfort to those who are ill.

1. Violations of the Dignity
of Human Life

2. YOU SHALL NOT KILL
(Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17)
Old Testament
Significance
o The fifth commandment was
especially significant to the
Israelites because the slavery and
suffering from which God saved
them were founded on death and
injustice
New Testament
Significance
o Jesus intensified the
commandment by prohibiting unjust
anger toward one’s neighbor.

3. ABORTION
o “termination of pregnancy” (downplay its true
nature)
o The deliberate and direct killing, by whatever
means it is carried out (surgical or chemical), of
a human being in the initial phase of his or her
existence, extending from conception to birth

4. ABORTION
o Reasons for Abortion
 Pregnancy outside marriage (premarital or
extramarital)
 External pressure from the Child’s father or
the woman’s family
 Other priorities (advancement of one’s career
or education, maintaining one’s figure)
 poverty

5. Possible side effects
• Sterility
• Perforation of the Cervix
• Depression
• Self – hatred (related to post –
abortion syndrome or PAS)

6.  A display of teenage “independence”,
makes a person dependent on chemicals
to be able to relax, gain confidence, or
feel happy.
o Abuse of these substances is contrary to human
dignity because they damage our health and well
– being and seriously endanger lives
 Substance abuse is often a symptom of more serious
personal problems, it is our duty to listen and provide
practical, moral and spiritual guidance they need to
confront their problems and end their addiction.

7. Common reasons
• pakikisama
• tabooed pleasure
• rebellion against parental authority
• desire for adventure or thrill-seeking
• way of coping with problems

8. SUICIDE
o “a gravely immoral act”
o The willful taking of one’s own life and is
contrary to the innate human drive to survive
and live
o A person who commits or attempts to commit
suicide seems to have given up on life

9. Common causes
o extreme depression
o despair
o hopelessness from rejection
o social isolation
o school and family problems

10. SUICIDE o In the past, the church did not allow
people who committed suicide to be given
a Christian burial because the act of
taking one’s life was deemed a radical
rejection of the love of God, of self, and of
others.
o However, recent findings suggest that the depression
that leads one to consider suicide is often caused by
psycho-emotional and personality disorder.
o Because of these greater understanding of human
condition, the Catholic church today allows the
Christian burial of one who has committed suicide.

11.  Also called the “Death penalty”
 Refers to the society’s act of executing
a person found guilty of committing a
crime considered as a threat to the
welfare of society in general.
 The church discerns the complexities of the issue
in the light of the inviolable dignity of persons,
she considers two equally important realities:
1. The obligation of the state to protect the life of its citizens
2. The obligation within the system of justice to respect human
dignity

12. o
- As a final, exceptional recourse,
capital punishment may still be
inflicted by the state “If this is the
only possible way of effectively
defending human lives against
unjust aggressor”
_ CCC 2267_

13. An action or omission which itself and by intention
causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all
suffering (Evangelium Vitae 65)
Our church speaks strongly against euthanasia
“since it is the deliberate and morally
unacceptable killing of a human person”
(Evangelium Vitae 65)

14. God alone has absolute power over life and death. Even
a dying patient, therefore, has no moral right to seek his
or her own death.
Thus, we have a duty to give “Ordinary
means” to preserve the life of those who
are terminally ill or dying.

15. Ordinary Means
 an ordinary or basic requirements to preserve
the life of those who are terminally ill or dying.
1. Food, water, and air
2. Basic hygiene
3. Medication or procedures that can
significantly improve the condition of the
patient
4. Measures alleviating pain for those in
severe pain (palliative care)

16. Extraordinary Means
1. Medication or procedures that offer no or little
hope of improving the condition of the patient
2. Instruments or methods that cause unnecessary
pain or difficulty for the patient
3. Overly expensive means
4. Treatments or procedures that have more
negative side-effects that good effects
We are under no moral obligation to continue
the use of Extraordinary means to preserve the
life of our loved ones

17. Anointing of the Sick
 offers the sick an opportunity to encounter
God’s healing touch.
 an acknowledgment of the frailty of the people
who are redeemed through the mystery of
Christ’s own death and resurrection

18. Christ, the Sacrament of God’s Healing
 during His earthly ministry, Jesus reached out
especially to heal and care for the sick.
• [Lk. 7:22]
 “(I was) ill and you cared for me”
 It shows a profound love and
compassion for the sick that He
identified Himself with them.

19. The Healing Church, The Sacrament of
Christ’s healing
 The Christian community shares in and
continues Christ’s healing work through the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
 Christ’s ministry of healing and consoling
the sick was continued by the presbyters
or elders of the early church.

20. Anointing of the Sick
 Three Distinct Actions
o Gathered People of God – offer the “prayer of
faith”
o Laying of Hands – imitating Christ’s own gesture of
healing
o Anointing – signifies the encouragement and healing
that comes from the Holy Spirit (CFC 1836)

21. The Sacrament of Anointing: an
Empowering Sacrament
 The Sacrament heals the spiritual weakness,
discouragement, and loneliness experienced by
those who receive it
 It calls the sick to hope and believe in the power
of the Risen Christ
 The sick and the dying are empowered to bravely
bear their suffering

22. Activity 1
Direction: In groups of four or five members,
research extensively on the causes and effects of
smoking, excessive drinking, or drug abuse. As a group,
create a poster that advocates a healthy lifestyle
and rejects smoking, drinking or drug use.

23. Activity 1
Each poster must include the following:
1. A SLOGAN that expresses your main theme or message;
2. An ORIGINAL ARTWORK that captures the message of your
slogan
3. A line from Scripture or Church teachings that echoes your
message
 To share the fruits of all the group’s reflection and hard work,
post your posters on FACEBOOK tagging all your groupmates.

24. Activity 1
CRITERIA
Content (Message) 25 points
Originality 15 points
Impact 10 points