1.05 Sanctity of Life

Decide whether the life should be SAVED or allowed to DIE and explain why you think this.

“Baby Theresa,” was born in Florida in 1992. She effectively had “no brain”, and doctors predicted that she would die within two weeks. Her parents asked the doctors to use her organs to save other lives if possible.

The doctors were prevented from taking organs from Baby Theresa by Florida law. Doing so would involve killing Baby Theresa, which would be illegal. Baby Theresa died at 9 days old. By this stage, her organs were no longer of any use.

Sian is 18, and is working. She has done well since leaving school. She hopes to continue and get promotion. She has a steady boy friend, David. They hope one day to marry. David is at university. He is studying religion and hopes to be a teacher. She is pregnant and thinks she should have an abortion.

Jodie and Mary were conjoined twins, born in Manchester in 2000. Doctors predicted that, if no intervention occurred, Jodie and Mary would both die in around three months. They also said that if you separated them, one of the twins would certainly die, while the other twin would probably live.

Diane Pretty was a terminally ill British woman who fought a legal battle to allow her husband to help her commit suicide

A man has killed several people and been found guilty. He is on death row in Texas. There is possible evidence which would prove his innocence.

 

SANCTITY OF LIFE

TASK – memorise the following:

  • Most people – religious or not – would accept that human life is special and should be cared for
  • Catholics believe each person is unique because God made them
  • Creation of humans was unlike the rest of creation because humans were made in the image of God – imago Dei
  • Catholic Church teaches all human life is sacred and that everyone has a right to life which should be protected and valued at every stage.

Special

Unique

Made by God

Sacred

Imago Dei

Right to Life

 

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA – THE IMAGE OF GOD (IMAGO DEI)

Image result for saint catherine of siena factfile

“Her dignity is that of her creation, seeing that she is the image of God, and this has been given her by grace, and not as her due. In that same mirror of the goodness of God, the soul knows her own indignity, which is the consequence of her own fault.

What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself! You are taken with love for her; for by love indeed you created her, by love you have given her a being capable of
tasting your eternal Good.”

TWO IMPORTANT MESSAGES FROM HER WRITING ABOVE:

  • Humans come from God in the same way that children come from their parents or your reflection in the mirror shows you
  • Love – God creates out of live. Humans being made with dignity and in God’s image shows how much he loves them.

 

Red Zone

What is the meaning of image Dei

Explain what St Catherine of Siena’s writings say about the idea of imago Dei