Poland's Bishops' Critique EU Charter in New Letter "There can be no true democracy if the dignity of every human being is not recognized and his rights are not respected."

No one has the right to decide about another person's life in the name of personal freedom - wrote the bishops in the Letter of the Polish Episcopal Conference on the protection of life. They appealed for commitment to the legal protection of human life and to pray for this intention.

“The life of a new, unique human person begins at conception, i.e. the union of mother and father cells. From that moment on, every person should have the full right to the protection of life," we read in the letter of the Polish Episcopal Conference on the protection of life, the text of which was approved during the 398th Plenary Meeting of the Polish Bishops' Conference in Warsaw. The bishops recalled, among others: words of Saint John Paul II from the encyclical Evangelium vitae (No. 101 ) that "There can be no true democracy if the dignity of every human being is not recognized and his rights are not respected." And also the words of Pope Francis, who on March 20 this year he said to Poles: "Let Poland be a land that protects life at every moment."

They emphasized that the rights of every person to life are protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and statutory provisions. “This is an elementary principle inherent in human nature that must not be violated,” we read in the letter. The bishops pointed out that we are currently witnessing "growing pressure to change the legal protection of human life towards the legalization of killing a child in the mother's womb." “This is very disturbing and extremely dangerous to public safety. Every person of good will should oppose this," the bishops wrote. They emphasized that life, "as the primary value of every human being and a fundamental element of the common good, is a basic good that prevails over the individual freedom of others." “Therefore, no one, in the name of personal freedom, has the right to decide about another person's life,” they added.

"As shepherds of the Catholic Church in Poland and, at the same time, citizens of our country, we have the right and duty to remind - both the faithful of the Catholic Church and all people of good will - that we are obliged to respect people, especially the weakest and defenseless," the bishops wrote. They emphasized that special responsibility for life rests with those "who, pursuant to a social mandate, have been entrusted with caring for the common good."

The bishops pointed out that a loving family, built on a lasting marriage between parents, is of great importance for the protection of beginning life, and "the murder of a conceived child causes serious psychophysical and spiritual suffering, often leading to the breakdown of the family." They expressed their appreciation for mothers who protect their children even in the most difficult situations. They also turned to fathers, whose role is to protect the family. “You must not distance yourself from your commitment to the legal protection of human life,” they appealed.

They emphasized that when a mother is in a difficult situation and needs specialized help, the Church, non-governmental organizations and local institutions support her, including: Single Mother's Homes and Windows of Life, as well as providing various types of support. “This help can never be lacking from the state either. We are all obliged to it," they wrote. They also opposed actions that violate the right to observe the conscience clause.

At the end of the letter, the bishops thanked everyone who serves life and asked everyone to "persistently and devotedly defend the Gospel of life" and pray for the protection of life.

The letter is intended to be read in churches on Sunday, June 16.

BP KEP

We publish the full text of the letter: 

LETTER
OF THE POLISH EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
ON THE PROTECTION OF LIFE

 Beloved Sisters and Brothers!

Fragment of the Gospel of St. Mark, for today's eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, leaves us a message about the kingdom of God, which God "sows" into the soil of the human heart. Liturgical texts explain that it is "the kingdom of truth and life, the kingdom of holiness and grace, the kingdom of justice, love and peace." In the parable of the mustard seed, we see God's concern for human life, for worthy and appropriate conditions for its development and growth, and, finally, for its salvation. Almighty God is the Giver of Life, which is why He is present in the conception and life of every person. The life of a new, unique human person begins at conception, i.e. the union of mother and father cells. From that moment on, every person should have the full right to protection of life.

“There can be no true democracy if the dignity of every human being is not recognized and his rights are not respected,” reminded St. John Paul II in the encyclical Evangelium vitae (no. 101 ). The rights of every person to life are protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and statutory provisions. This is an elementary principle inherent in human nature that must not be violated. “It must therefore be stated with full force and clarity, even in our times, that the defense of emerging life is closely linked to the defense of any human right. It assumes the belief that every human being is always sacred and inviolable in every situation and in every phase of his development” ( Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Dignitas infinita , 91 ).

We are currently witnessing growing pressure to change the legal protection of human life towards legalizing the killing of a child in the mother's womb. This is very disturbing and extremely dangerous to public safety. Every person of good will should oppose this. Life, as the primary value of every human being and a fundamental element of the common good, is a basic good that prevails over the individual freedom of others. Therefore, in the name of personal freedom, no one has the right to decide about another person's life.

"The Church never ceases to remind us that the dignity of every human being is essential and valid from conception to natural death" ( Dignitas infinita , 47 ). "Thou shalt not kill" and "protect human life" - these are the basic principles that every person of good conscience should follow. Contrary to a fairly common narrative, they are not an expression of beliefs resulting only from the Christian faith, but come from an understanding of human nature itself.

It is worth emphasizing the importance of a loving family, built on the lasting marriage of parents, constituting the "sanctuary of life" and the basic social unit, for the protection of beginning life. "Thus, a man and a woman united in marriage are incorporated into God's work: through the act of birth, God's gift is accepted and a new life opens to the future" ( Evangelium vitae, 43 ). Meanwhile, the murder of a unborn child causes serious psychophysical and spiritual suffering, often leading to the breakdown of the family.

We express great respect and appreciation for mothers who serve life with love and protect their children even in the most difficult situations. They prove that the joy, beauty and greatness of motherly love are expressed in undying concern for the well-being of children regardless of the circumstances.

We also turn to fathers, whose role is to protect the family, especially blessed women and their children. Your loving commitment to defend the most vulnerable, those in need of special support, is irreplaceable. Therefore, today you must not distance yourself from your involvement in the legal protection of human life.

However, it sometimes happens that a pregnant mother finds herself in a very difficult situation and needs specialist help. The Church, non-governmental organizations and local institutions carry it through, among others, Single Mother's Homes and Windows of Life, providing material, legal and psychological support. This help can never be lacking from the state either. We are all obliged to it.

Concern for life is also expressed by the fact that we must not force doctors, medical staff and pharmacists to engage in the practice of killing prenatal children or the elderly and sick. Such actions violate the fundamental right to observe the conscience clause.

As shepherds of the Catholic Church in Poland and, at the same time, citizens of our country, we have the right and duty to remind - both the faithful of the Catholic Church and all people of good will - that we are obliged to respect people, especially the weakest and defenseless. Special responsibility for their lives rests with those who, pursuant to a social mandate, have been entrusted with caring for the common good.

Pope Francis recently addressed us Poles: "Let Poland be a land that protects life at every moment, from the moment it appears in the mother's womb until its natural end. Don't forget that no one is the master of life, either their own or that of others. I bless you from my heart!” (Francis, Words to Poles during the general audience, March 20, 2024 ).

Thanking everyone who serves life and truth in various dimensions of personal and public life, in the name of Christ we ask you for a persistent and sacrificial defense of the Gospel of life. Let us all join in the great prayer for this intention, offered today through the intercession of the Holy Mother of God, Mary, in the words of St. John Paul II ( Evangelium vitae , 105)

O Mary, dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, we entrust to you the matter of life:
look, O Mother, at the countless children who are not allowed to be born,
the poor who struggle with the difficulties of life,
the men and women - victims of inhuman violence,
the elderly and sick killed by indifference or false pity.

Grant that all believers in Your Son will be able to openly and lovingly proclaim
the Gospel of life to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept it as an always new gift,
the joy of praising it with gratitude throughout their lives
, and the courage to actively and persistently bear witness to it,
so that they can build, together with all people of good will,
a civilization of truth and love for the honor and glory of God the Creator, who loves life.

Signed by the shepherds of the Catholic Church in Poland present at the 398th Plenary Meeting of the Polish Episcopal Conference in Warsaw on June 10, 2024.

The letter should be read on Sunday, June 16, 2024

FULL TEXT Catholic Bishops of Poland Official Source: https://episkopat.pl/biskupi-nikt-w-imie-osobistej-wolnosci-nie-ma-prawa-decydowac-o-zyciu-drugiego-czlowieka/

Image from the Official FB Page of the Polish Bishops: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=896396872534244&set=a.655721989935068