"Among the non-negotiable principles for the Catholic Church in the public arena today [are]... protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death; recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family... and the protection of the right of parents to educate their children. These principles are not truths of faith, even though they receive further light and confirmation from faith; they are inscribed in human nature itself and therefore they are common to all humanity." Benedict XVI, Thursday, 30 March 2006
The Father of World Youth Day, Pope John Paul II, looked to young people to be the builders of a new civilization of life and love against the culture of lies and death. He challenged them to be the agents of 'the new evangelisation' presenting to the world 'the Gospel of Life and Love'.
Catholic Moral Teaching in bioethics proposes the following foundational teachings:
God is the Lord of life and commands reverence and love for every person
the Church is committed to preaching 'the Gospel of Life' and to championing the cause of the victims of 'the culture of death' especially the unborn child, and to bringing compassion and Forgiveness to other victims such as women wounded by abortion
attacks on human life are always wrong, such as abortion, embryo experimentation, infanticide of the handicapped, suicide, euthanasia, unjust war?
the Church understands the many pressures, social and economic, that may draw or drive people to seek violent solutions to their problems, and recognises that these pressures may reduce their personal responsibility
through its extensive network of health, education, welfare and aged care services the Church supports human life and promotes health at all stages of life
Catholic Moral Teaching in sexual and family ethics proposes the following foundational teachings:
all people are called to reverence their bodies and those of others, to live chastely according to their state in life, and to support the institutions of marriage and the family
sexual intercourse means marriage and so is only appropriate as an act of love-making between spouses; sex outside of marriage is wrong, as is sex within marriage that is either contraceptive or that is not an act of love
marriage is the free commitment of a man and a woman to unite as husband and wife exclusively and for life
married couples should love, honour and serve each other, be faithful companions for the whole of life, procreate responsibly and raise their children lovingly and fairly
fertility is a gift and couples can receive or postpone the blessing of a child through natural family planning (NFP) which respects each other's bodies in their goodness and wholeness; NFP teachers will be at the Love and Life Site)
the family is "a school of deeper humanity" and "a domestic church"
From its earliest days of planning, WYD08 has recognised and collaborated in the scoping of World Youth Day events oriented around these principles.
To this end, the following elements of WYD planning can be noted:
a major 'Love and Life' Youth Festival Site will present Catholic teaching in this area through dynamic, interactive lectures, debates, breakout sessions, exhibitions, concerts, prayer, adoration, healing service etc. The Love and Life Site will provide a meeting place for young pilgrims and an opportunity for them to personally encounter the Church's vision of life, love and the dignity of the human person.
a number of other Youth Festival activities such as films and music will have pro-life and pro-chastity themes
issues of life and love will be treated in WYD preparatory programmes and post-event activities
religious congregations, movements and Church agencies are planning events and forums before or during WYD08 focused on these issues
a cross-section of Catholic groups focused on life, chastity, NFP, marriage and family issues have been invited to contribute in various ways to the planning and delivery of WYD08the WYD08 Vocations Expo will present the vocations of marriage and parenting
WYD08 will seek to assist young families to take part in WYD; for example, we will have a family room at the Love and Life Site to give young families a place to rest and relax
Your ideas on how we might better engage with some of these issues can be sent to
lifeandlove@wyd2008.org
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