Dignitas infinita. 12 major themes where the notion of dignity is at stake
Monday April 8, the Vatican published a new text called “Dignitas infinita”. Dedicated to respect for “human dignity”, Le Pèlerin has identified the main themes of the declaration involving this notion, accompanied by the corresponding extracts.
Poverty
“If certain people are born in a country or a family where they have fewer opportunities for development, we must recognize that this goes against their dignity, which is exactly the same as that of people born in a family or a country rich. We are all responsible, to varying degrees, for this blatant inequity. » (37)
Migrants
“Welcoming migrants is an important and significant way of defending the inalienable dignity of every human person regardless of their origin, color or religion. » (41)
Human trafficking
“Trafficking disfigures the humanity of the victim, offending their freedom and dignity. But, at the same time, it dehumanizes the person who commits it. » (42)
Sexual abuse
“The profound dignity inherent in the human being in the totality of his body and his spirit also allows us to understand why any sexual abuse leaves deep scars in the heart of those who suffer it. » (43)
Violence against women
“The organization of societies around the world is far from clearly reflecting the fact that women have exactly the same dignity and rights as men. » (44)
Abortion
“We must therefore affirm with force and clarity, including in our time, that “this defense of unborn life is intimately linked to the defense of all human rights. It presupposes the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and in any phase of its development. It is an end in itself, and never a means to resolve other difficulties.” (47)
Surrogacy
“This is in total contradiction with the fundamental dignity of every human being and with their right to always be recognized for themselves and never as the instrument of anything else. » (51)
Euthanasia and assisted suicide
“Human life, even in its painful condition, carries a dignity which must always be respected, which cannot be lost and whose respect remains unconditional. Indeed, there are no conditions without which human life ceases to be worthy and can therefore be ended. » (52)
Disposal of disabled people
“Every human being, whatever their condition of vulnerability, receives their dignity from the very fact that they are wanted and loved by God. For these reasons, the inclusion and active participation in social and ecclesial life of all those who are, in one way or another, marked by fragility or disability, should be encouraged as much as possible. » (53)
Gender theory
“All attempts to hide the reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman must be rejected: “we cannot separate the masculine from the feminine in the work created by God, which precedes all our decisions and our experiments, where there are obvious biological elements”. It is only when each human person can recognize and accept this difference in reciprocity that they become capable of fully discovering themselves, with their own dignity and identity. » (59)
Sex change
“Any sex reassignment procedure generally risks threatening the unique dignity a person has been given from the moment of conception. This does not exclude the possibility that a person with genital anomalies that are already evident at birth or that develop later may choose to receive medical assistance in order to resolve these anomalies. In this case, the operation would not constitute a change of sex in the sense used here. » (60)
Digital violence
“If technology is to serve, not harm, human dignity and if it is to promote peace rather than violence, the human community must be proactive in addressing these trends with respect for human dignity and promoting good. » (62)
