Catholic Social Teaching     Life Issues     Diocesan Initiatives

WHAT IS THE CONSISTENT LIFE ETHIC?

The Consistent Life Ethic (CLE) is the underlying principle of our faith that urges us to affirm life from the moment of conception to natural death, in attitude as well as action. Most urgently, the Consistent Life Ethic calls us to protect life that is threatened by forces we oppose: abortion, the death penalty, economic injustice, euthanasia, violence and war.

The Consistent Life Ethic calls us to build a culture that affirms and defends life from conception to death through education, personal service and public advocacy. Roman Catholics will treat all people with dignity and respect because, as a gift from God, all life is sacred. We will defend all people, especially powerless and marginalized people who are threatened by forces we oppose: abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia, economic injustice, violence and war. As we pursue this goal in the New Millennium, the Church of Rochester will be a community of faithful disciples of Jesus Christ who have heard Jesus’ call to love and have acted on it.

The Gospels express that call in the three love commands:

Love God and your neighbor as yourself

Love one another as I have loved you

Love your enemies.

Through strong parish leadership, we will nurture life in our own families and champion those threatened by personal, public and institutional neglect and by violence, prejudice or injustice. We will express our commitment to life in teaching and preaching and in individual and communal action. We will work to transform current social structures and behaviors into a more creative and imaginative Christ-centered society which affirms nonviolence, justice and the sacredness of all life.

As we pursue this goal in the New Millennium with Consistent Life Ethic Initiatives and advocacy on Life Issues, the Church of Rochester will be a community of faithful --- disciples of Jesus Christ who have heard Jesus' call to love and have acted on it.