Evangelium Vitae

Ioannes Paulus PP. II
Evangelium vitae
To the Bishops
Priests and Deacons
Men and Women religious
lay Faithful
and all People of Good Will
on the Value and Inviolability
of Human Life

1995.03.25

INTRODUCTION

• Evangelium Vitae #1: The Gospel Of life
• Evangelium Vitae #2: The incomparable worth of the human person
• Evangelium Vitae #3-4: New threats to human life
• Evangelium Vitae #5-6: In communion with all the Bishops of the world

CHAPTER I - THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD CRIES TO ME FROM THE GROUND

PRESENT-DAY THREATS TO HUMAN LIFE

• Evangelium Vitae #7-9: "Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him" (Gen 4:8): the roots of violence against life
• Evangelium Vitae #10-17: "What have you done?" (Gen 4:10): the eclipse of the value of life
• Evangelium Vitae #18-20: "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9): a perverse idea of freedom
• Evangelium Vitae #21-24: ""And from your face I shall be hidden" (Gen 4:14): the eclipse of the sense of God and of man
• Evangelium Vitae #25-28: "You have come to the sprinkled blood" (cf. Heb 12: 22, 24): signs of hope and invitation to commitment

CHAPTER II - I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE

THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE CONCERNING LIFE

• Evangelium Vitae #29-30: "The life was made manifest, and we saw it" (1 Jn 1:2): with our gaze fixed on Christ, "the Word of life"
• Evangelium Vitae #31: "The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation" (Ex 15:2): life is always a good
• Evangelium Vitae #32-33: "The name of Jesus ... has made this man strong" (Acts 3:16): in the uncertainties of human life, Jesus brings life's meaning
• Evangelium Vitae #34-36: "Called ... to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom 8:28-29): God's glory shines on the face of man
• Evangelium Vitae #37-38: "Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die" (Jn 11:26): the gift of eternal life
• Evangelium Vitae #39-41: "From man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting" (Gen 9:5): reverence and love for every human life
• Evangelium Vitae #42-43: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen 1:28): man's responsibility for life
• Evangelium Vitae #44-45: "For you formed my inmost being" (Ps 139:13): the dignity of the unborn child
• Evangelium Vitae #46-47: "I kept my faith even when I said, ?I am greatly afflicted' " (Ps 116:10): life in old age and at times of suffering
• Evangelium Vitae #48-49: "All who hold her fast will live" (Bar 4:1): from the law of Sinai to the gift of the Spirit
• Evangelium Vitae #50-51:"They shall look on him whom they have pierced"(Jn 19:37):the Gospel of life is brought to fulfilment on the tree of the Cross

CHAPTER III - YOU SHALL NOT KILL

GOD'S HOLY LAW

• Evangelium Vitae #52:"If you would enter life, keep the commandments" (Mt 19:17): Gospel and commandment
• Evangelium Vitae #53-57:"From man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life"(Gen 9:5):human life is sacred and inviolable
• Evangelium Vitae #58-63: "Your eyes beheld my unformed substance" (Ps 139:16): the unspeakable crime of abortion
• Evangelium Vitae #64-67: "It is I who bring both death and life" (Dt 32:39): the tragedy of euthanasia
• Evangelium Vitae #68-74: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29): civil law and the moral law
• Evangelium Vitae #75-77: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" (Lk 10:27):"promote" life

CHAPTER IV - YOU DID IT TO ME

FOR A NEW CULTURE OF HUMAN LIFE

• Evangelium Vitae #78-79"You are God's own people,that you may declare wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light
• Evangelium Vitae #80-82: "That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you" (1 Jn 1:3): proclaiming the Gospel of life
• Evangelium Vitae #83-86: "I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made" (Ps 139:14): celebrating the Gospel of life
• Evangelium Vitae #87-91:"What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works?" (Jas 2:14): serving the Gospel of life
• Evangelium Vitae #92-94: "Your children will be like olive shoots around your table" (Ps 128:3): the family as the "sanctuary of life"
• Evangelium Vitae #95-100: Walk as children of light" (Eph 5:8): bringing about a transformation of culture
• Evangelium Vitae #101: "We are writing this that our joy may be complete" (1 Jn 1:4): the Gospel of life is for the whole of human society

CONCLUSION

• Evangelium Vitae #102: "The Child born for us" (cf. Is 9:6)
• Evangelium Vitae #103: "A great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun" (Rev 12:1): the motherhood of Mary and of the Church
• Evangelium Vitae #104: "And the dragon stood before the woman ... that he might devour her child when she brought it forth" (Rev 12:4)
• Evangelium Vitae #105: "Death shall be no more" (Rev 21:4): the splendour of the Resurrection

Introduction

Since the conception of the idea of putting an internet space for the Commission on Family and Life, it took a long time before it arrives here for a lot of consideration. However as the subtle attacks against family and life increased, we could not simply sit and relax. The Catholic Church has been active in defending the sanctity of Family and life.

The Philippine situation has become so intense on this matter as congress tries to pass a bill on controversial "reproductive health". It is also a matter of putting another effort for disseminating proper information to present the position of the Church and in particular of the Diocese of San Pablo. We have to use every ways and means to combat anything that will jeopardize the sanctity of family and the respect for life.

The Commission of Family and life is headed by Rev. Fr. Eduardo Arupo