New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have updated and expanded an important 1997 document that inspires the active protection and promotion of all life. Source: NZ Catholic.
NZ Catholic Bishops Conference president Bishop Stephen Lowe, the Bishop of Auckland, said that the revised and expanded version of Te Kahu o te Ora – A Consistent Ethic of Life, reminds us that all life is a gift of God.
“This understanding of the sacredness of all life guides us in making decisions in regard to human life in all its stages, our care for the vulnerable and our care of the earth,” he said.
The document was published yesterday as a 56-page booklet, ahead of the Church in New Zealand’s celebration of Support Life Sunday on October 8. This year’s Support Life Sunday theme – A Consistent Ethic of Life – is taken from the title of the revised document.
Bishop Lowe said that the revision of Te Kahu o te Ora is timely: “While traditional human life issues continue to need our attention, we are now facing many new problems, all interlinked. The key message of Te Kahu o te Ora is that everything is connected, whether it is life in the womb or the life of the Earth.”
John Kleinsman, director of the bishops’ Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics, expressed delight with the document’s succinct overview of eight key moral areas, including a new section on information technology and artificial intelligence.
“Often, people know what the Church teaches on a particular topic, but it can be challenging to have an open, informed discussion with other family or friends about why. Te Kahu o te Ora provides a great summary of key points, which can give people greater insights into Catholic thinking,” Dr Kleinsman said.
Read Te Kahu o te Ora – A Consistent Ethic of Life.
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NZ bishops publish significant expanded statement on the importance of respecting all life (NZ Catholic)
