杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

杏MAP导航 Francis on Monday encouraged Catholic doctors to continue being faithful and consistent in their commitment to spread and implement the pro-life teaching of the Church, so that nothing goes against human life in its concrete existence, no matter how weak,  defenceless, undeveloped or less advanced it may be.

He made the exhortation to some 22 representatives of the (FIAMC) ahead of their in the Croatian capital Zagreb.    鈥淪anctity Of Life and the Medical Profession from 鈥楬umanae Vitae鈥� to 鈥楲audato Si鈥欌��, is the theme of the May 30-June 2 congress. 

Right to life vs efficiency, profit

Speaking in Italian, the Holy Father noted that even the field of medicine and health care has not been spared by the advance of what he called the 鈥渢echnocratic cultural paradigm鈥�, by the adoration of human power without limits and by a practical relativism, where everything becomes irrelevant if it does not serve one鈥檚 own interests. 

In this situation, he said, Catholic doctors are 鈥渃alled to affirm the centrality of the sick person as a person and his dignity with inalienable rights, first and foremost his right to life.鈥�  

鈥淭he tendency to debase the sick man as a machine to be repaired, without respect for moral principles, and to exploit the weakest, discarding what does not correspond to the ideology of efficiency and profit,  must be opposed,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 stressed.

Humanizing medicine

The Holy Father called for the defence of the personal dimension of the sick person, saying it is essential for the humanization of medicine, and also in a sense of 鈥渉uman ecology鈥�.   

He called on the doctors whether in their respective countries or at the international level, to involve themselves not just in specialist circles but also in discussions on legislation on sensitive ethical issues, such as the termination of pregnancy, the end of life and genetic medicine.  

The 杏MAP导航 also called on them to show concern for the 鈥渄efence of freedom of conscience of doctors and of all health care workers.鈥�  He said,  鈥淚t is unacceptable that your role be reduced to simply carry out the will of the sick person or the needs of the health system in which you work.鈥� 

The 杏MAP导航 said that today it necessary and urgent that the action of the Catholic doctor  have a 鈥渃haracter of unmistakable clarity鈥� on the level of both personal and associative witness.