SHALOM FOR LIFE s SHALOM FOR LIFE FOUNDATION

SHALOM FOR LIFE s

SHALOM FOR LIFE FOUNDATION PRO-LIFE PRO-FAMILY

WELCOMES MEMBERS OF OFS, FRANCISCAN YOUTH AND FRIENDS On the Occasion of their August Seminar. nd 22 August, 2015.

TOPIC: The preservation of Human life: The Catholic Position.

ON PRESERVATION OF HUMAN LIFE OUTLINE: § INTRODUCTION: WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN? § WHOSE LIFE IS TO BE PRESERVED? § THE DIGNITY AND SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE § THREATS AGAINST HUMAN LIFE TODAY § THREATS AGAINST HUMAN LIFE IN NIGERIA § WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE- THE ROLE OF THE FRANCISCAN FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN PROTECTION OF HUMAN LIFE. § THE WAY FORWARD

When does Human Life Begin?

WHEN DOES HUMAN LIFE BEGIN? AT FERTILISATION

Conception as fertilization v Until the 1960 s – union of the sperm and egg v. USA Department Health, Education and Welfare 1963, 27. (no. 1066 Public health Service Leaflet) Conception as implantation v American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 1965, redefined pregnancyv“Conception is the implantation of a fertilized ovum. ” v Reason: Science cannot detect pregnancy before implantation (life begins nearly a week later, at implantation). Note: ACOG still holds that definition even though science can now detect pregnancy before implantation

THE BALL OF LIFE No Longer EGG & SPERM, but a BABY yet to fully develop (fetus)

THE BALL OF LIFE For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Ps. 139

WHOSE LIFE? q. The Lives of the Unborn q. The Lives of all the Born q. The Lives of the Mentally Challenged q. The Lives of the Physically Challenged q. The Lives of the Terminally Sick q. The Lives of the Elderly

THE LIVES OF THE UNBORN

THE LIVES OF ALL THE BORN

THE LIVES OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED

THE LIVES OF THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED

THE LIVES OF ALL THE SICK

DIGNITY AND SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE CATHOLIC POSITION? ? ? “Dignity means something not quantifiable, which is not subject to any form of calculation, but has directly to do with man due to his being human”. Potifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Vatican 2004, no. 107) • Unconditionally worthwhile- dignity is inherent to being a human person. It depends on nothing. It does not depend or whether the person is rich or poor, physically challenged, mentally dra, white, black, albino etc. • Regardless of special characteristics or qualities. • Regardless of Persona recognition or peoples’ or external approval. q Divine Revelation q Magisterium q Saints

“Be ready always to give answer to everyone that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. ” 1 Peter 3: 15

DIVINE REVELATION ü Scripture üTradition Preservation of life (Prohibition to kill) – Gen 4: 8 -15, Ex 20: 13, Deut 5: 17, Deut 27: 25. Preservation of the defenceless – Gen 4: 8 -15, Lev 17: 11 Preservation of life of animal – Lev 17: 11 (by the way “it is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly”- CCC 2418, Laudato Si’, 130) God is the “source of life” (Psalm 36, 10; 104, 30; Gen 2, 7) Jesus brings life in his divine person –John 10: 10; John 6, 35, 48. Gen 1: 28: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Gen 2: 7: Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

DIVINE REVELATION §“The tradition of the Church has always held that human life must be protected and favoured from the beginning, just as at the various stages of its development. . . ” (Declaration on Procured Abortion, II: 7) §Early Christians (St. Augustine, Marriage and Concupiscence I : 15: 17 (A. D. 419); St. John Chrysostom Homilies on Romans 24 (A. D. 391).

MAGISTERIUM “Life must be safeguarded with extreme care from conception; abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes’. … ‘this teaching of the Church has not changed and is unchangeable’”. (CCC 2271) “…from the time that the ovum is fertilized, a life is begun which is neither that of the father nor the mother; it is rather the life of a new human being with his own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already. This has always been clear, and … modern genetic science offers clear confirmation. It has demonstrated that from the first instant there is established the program of …: a person, this individual person with his characteristic aspects already wll determined. Right from fertilization the adventure of a human life begins, and each of its capacities requires time- a rather length time – to find its place and to be in a position to act. ” (Evangelium Vitae, 61) “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action fo God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being”. (Donum Vitae I-I-5)

THE SAINTS The greatest destruction of peace today is abortion. Mother Teresa of Calculta Human life is sacred- all men must recognize that fact. St. John XXIII (Mater et Magistra) From its very inception, human life reveals the creating hand of God. St. John Paul II (Evangelium Vitae, 2)

GOD - AUTHOR OF HUMAN LIFE THE LIFE OF EVERY PERSON IS therefore: ØSacred ØPrecious THE LIFE OF EVERY PERSON HAS: üDignity üValue (worth)

LIFE BELONGS TO GOD ü Every human life is personally created by God ü It is only by God that human life is given ü It is only by God that human life may be taken away ü God alone has the right to decide when that person’s life upon earth comes to an end ONLY GOD CAN DECIDE!

LIFE BELONGS TO GOD Our life is not our own It is a gift from God We are stewards in the care of it We must do all we can to safeguard our own life and the life of our neighbour • We must avoid doing deliberate physical harm to others • • FIGHTING IS SIN AGAINST 5 TH COMMANDMENT

“There are many ways to bring life into the world, including marital love, fornication, adultery, rape, incest, IVF, and artificial insemination. Only one, marital love, is consistent with the dignity of the human person”. - Jason Evert. THIS IS THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH.

PRESENT-DAY HUMAN LIFE

Global Threats Against Human Life Some of the threats: • Contraception (abortifacient) • Abortion • Sterilisation • Pre-natal Screening (abortion) • In vitro fertilisation • Artificial Family Planning • Euthanasia (“mercifully” killing the sick/elderly) • Islamic Insurgencies (e. g. ISIS)

Threats Against Human Life in Nigeria • • • Contraception (abortifacient) Abortion Sterilisation Pre-natal Screening (abortion) In vitro fertilisation Anti-Fertility Vaccines Birth Control for Men Artificial Family Planning Euthanasia (“mercifully” killing the sick/elderly) Islamic Insurgencies (e. g. boko haram)

BOKO HARAM DEADLY ACTIVITIES

BOKO HARAM!

Threats Against Human Life in Nigeria • • • Ritual killing Careless Road Accidents Kidnapping and hostage taking Armed robbery attacks and killings Extra-judicial killings (e. g political) Poisoning Mismanagement of funds Wrong Diagnosis (my father) Pornography Stress

Threats Against Human Life in Nigeria Lynching (mob deadly action) Boko Haramic insurgencies Hired assassinations Trafficking in new born babies, especially through “baby-making factories” regrettably found in various places in Igboland • Abandonment of babies in gutters, refuse dumps • Abandonment of projects (roads) • •

ABORTION • Kills babies • Stops a beating heart • Kills maternal instinct • Is violence against the child • Is violence against women “abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes” (Gaudium et Spes 51, 3; CCC 2271)

FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH FILM ANALYSIS § Choice Blues § The Hard Truth

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE The ROLE OF THE FAMILY FRANCISCAN in PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE Based on the following Church documents: • Read and listen to – Humanae Vitae (1968) – Familiaris Consortio, Part 3 (1981) – Evangelium Vitae (1995) – Gaudium et Spes, 47 -51 (1965) – Catechism of the Catholic Church, 22592330 – Laudato Si’ (2015)

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE • Awarness of Human dignity – No one is an instrument – No on should be used as an object of entertainment/gratification. • Value the meaning of marriage (it is a choice, a responsibility)- defense of marriage -13 -15 April, 2015. • Conjugal love must be open to the transmission of life (no ‘love-making’ without babies and no babies without ‘love making’) • Moral and spiritual formation of children (Send your children to good catholic schools) • Being a prophet: Campaign against aborton/artificial birth -control

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE • • Accept children as blessings from God Accept all children including: - deformed children - children conceived out of rape - children conceived outside wedlock - all female children - no child should be labelled “atuanya”, “a mistake”, etc.

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE • Remember that abortion destroys mothers • Remember that Fertility Awareness (Natural Family Planning) is the only morally acceptable means of regulating births • Being an evangelizer: Promote Natural Family Planning methods

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE § Elimination of Apathy/Indifference “The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people but because of the silence of good people. ” -Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 -1821) § Right use of internet in families and schools § Denunciation of threats to life in homilies, conferences, and meetings.

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE • Educate your children in human sexuality • Educate them to respect and promote human life: teach them love and respect for others • Give your unmarried pregnant daughter the support she needs (it is martyrdom) • Do not chase her out of your house or disown her • Do not even force her to kill your grandchild • Send her to a Crisis Pregnancy Centre

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE v Use of all lawful means to campaign for legal control against every acts endangering human life eg. Legal control of those pharmaceutical industries that produce vaccines from aborted cells. v Avoid any form of cooperation in use of vaccines from aborted cells v “It is right to abstain If it can be done without causing children, and indirectly the population as a whole, to undergo significant risks to their health. However, if the latter are exposed to considerable dangers to their health, vaccines with moral problems pertaining to them may also be used on a temporary basis. ” (Pontifical Academy for Life in reply to Mrs Debra L. Vinnedge, June 9, 2005). v Formation of pressure groups against v Against political authorities that promote abortion v Against health system that promote abortion eg. That encourage and accept the use of vaccines from aborted cells even when alternatives are known

WAYS TO PRESERVE HUMAN LIFE Ø Apply legitimate self-defence Ø Involve in Re-orientation of the society (false thoughts about sex, NFP, and contraceptives) Ø Engage in personal renewal Ø Avoid premarital, preceremonial, and postmarital sex Ø Celebrate virginity and chastity (give awards) Ø Become a prolife member Ø Write about it Ø Talk about it Ø Donate to support the project (give out a house, buy a car, printing machine, hoist a website, pay for handbills etc. )

as your lot the protection SPECIAL APPEAL WOMEN: of the home , TOthe love of beginnings Wives, Mothers, Consecrated Women, Girls, Single Women and an understanding of cradles. You are present in the mystery of a life beginning. You offer consolation in the departure of death. Our technology runs the risk of becoming inhuman. Reconcile men with life and above all, we beseech you, watch carefully over the future of our race. Hold back the hand of man

SPECIAL APPEAL TO WOMEN: Wives, Mothers, Consecrated Women, Girls, Single Women “Women of the entire universe, whether Christian or nonbelieving, you to whom LIFE is entrusted at this grave moment in history, it is for you to save the peace of the world”. Pope Paul VI

Sirach 15: 11 -20 Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he had no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. It was she who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is might in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. (RSV)

THE WAY FORWARD • Conversion of Heart: Say to God, “ I am sorry. Forgive Me”. • Go to Confession • Make a firm purpose of amendment: “with your grace, I will not do it again”. • Begin secondary virginity (young people) • Learn Natural Family Planning (parents) • Pray. • Look for psychological help for emotional healing (for those who have had abortions or killed anyone)

1 Thessalonians 5: 23 “May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ”

By Fr. Innocent Joshua Chiawa Igbokwe, OCD innjo 2@gmail. com (+234 8063962525)

Group Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Why are the divorce rates so high for couples who lived together before marriage? Why do Natural Family Planning (NFP) couples have such low divorce rates? Is using birth control better than having unwanted teen pregnancies and abortions? If couples do not use contraception, won’t the world become overpopulated? What can I do to promote the preservation of life in my society? Fr. Innocent Joshua Chiawa Igbokwe, OCD Shalom for Life Foundation innjo 2@gmail. com (+234 8063962525)