Pope John Paul II (Saint John Paul!) encyclical spells it out ... worth reading even just the first few paragraphs
The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae)
1. THE GOSPEL OF LIFE is at the heart of Jesus' message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as "good news" to the people of every age and culture.
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The Church knows that this Gospel of life, which she has received from her Lord,1 has a profound and persuasive echo in the heart of every person—believer and non-believer alike—because it marvellously fulfils all the heart's expectations while infinitely surpassing them. Even in the midst of difficulties and uncertainties, every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Rom 2:14-15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end, and can affirm the right of every human being to have this primary good respected to the highest degree. Upon the recognition of this right, every human community and the political community itself are founded.
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The Church, faithfully contemplating the mystery of the Redemption, acknowledges this value with ever new wonder.3 She feels called to proclaim to the people of all times this "Gospel", the source of invincible hope and true joy for every period of history. The Gospel of God's love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel.
The above is excerpted from the introduction. The first chapter is a profound meditation on the story of Cain and Abel.
Here is the complete layout of the encyclical:
CHAPTER I - THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD CRIES TO ME FROM THE GROUND
CHAPTER II - I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE
CHAPTER III - YOU SHALL NOT KILL
CHAPTER IV - YOU DID IT TO ME
One of the great documents from the Great John Paul!
Thank you for making this available for all to read! This wonderful Saint has done so much good all over the world! "Totus Tuus" was St. John Paul II model and he totally lived that until his dying breath.
Posted by: Eileen Peterson | March 29, 2015 at 08:02 PM