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In October the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month. We are called to cherish, defend, and protect those who are most vulnerable, from the beginning of life to its end. We are called to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life.
The dignity of human life is really at the center of the Radical Hospitality conversations we are having on campus this year. We believe that all human beings, without exception, are made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore every person is sacred!
When our 2023 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award recipients, Sheryl Olitzky and Atiya Aftab, co-founders of Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, were on campus we heard about their beautiful friendship and their commitment to building relationships between Muslim and Jewish women of all ages. Together with the women in the Sisterhood chapters, they are building bridges and fighting hate, negative stereotyping and prejudice. Their vision of changing the world has been on my heart this week as we hear about the terrorism and violence in Israel and Palestine. To respect life, we must condemn terror and violence and instead work for peaceful resolutions between nations.
Of course, respecting the dignity of all people can be very challenging. At St. Ambrose, we work hard to increase our awareness of bias, injustice, and oppression. We have groups of students, faculty and staff who are committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Sustainability, Social Justice and Radical Hospitality.
In Gaudete Et Exsultate, #101 (Rejoice and Be Glad), Pope Francis challenges us to defend the sacredness of life:
“Our defense of the innocent unborn, for example, needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.”
Have a question about a program or event going on in Campus Ministry? Got an idea for something you'd like to see happen? EMAIL US at ministry@sau.edu.
