Philadelphia, Pa., Oct 2, 2009 / 04:40 am
Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia has written a letter for Respect Life Sunday which emphasizes the gift of human life, criticizing attitudes that demean the disabled and the unborn. Death is not a “solution” to the problems of life, he insists in the message.
This year’s Respect Life Sunday, celebrated on Oct. 4, has as its theme “Every Child Brings Us God’s Smile.”
In a Sept. 29 statement Cardinal Rigali, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said the occasion is a time to reflect with gratitude on “God’s priceless gift of human life” and to consider our obligations to those at risk of their very lives.
The cardinal criticized the “deplorable” attitude that believes some classes of people are not deserving of the same protections and treatment in health care. He also decried the attitude that sees some people, such as the elderly, as not worth protecting because of their perceived “low quality of life.”