The latest document from the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith, Dignitas Infinita [Infinite Dignity] explains Catholic teaching on human dignity. A parishioner sent me CNN’s take on it. Of course, the reporter does not understand the deeper nuances of the document.
The US media’s focus is on abortion and LGBTQ issues because American journalists consider them sacrosanct. I see Dignitas Infinita as a radical document that certainly would not be well received in the halls of our two US political parties if their members actually cared about what the Vatican said. The document was, of course, not focused on American politics. One can see, however, policies in both our parties that the document challenges.
Dignitas Infinita is actually a recognition of the UN Declaration of Human Rights signed in 1948. So, the Vatican is nodding to that document and to elements of Catholic teaching.
Puebla
Upfront, Dignitas Infinita cites Pope St John Paul II’s words at the 1979 Puebla Conference. Puebla was a meeting of bishops from CELAM—The Episcopal (Catholic Bishops) Conference of Latin America gathered to discuss the role of the Church in light of other issues including the economic ones facing the people of that region.
Not long after his election, the pontiff reminded the bishops the focus is on Christ and to be careful of getting sidetracked into political agendas that would undermine the power of the Gospel. However, when it comes to economic issues one must realize despite the Pontiff’s warning, Liberation Theology grew from this region. This calls for a Catholic response to severe poverty in Central and South America. Note, it was a gathering of the CELAM bishops and not the ones from North America including the large neighbor north of Mexico. Only the US territory of Puerto Rico has representation from the United States—in Latin America the island territory is its own state in and out of ecclesial circles.
Few Catholics and even fewer journalists know the significance of Puebla and I believe they are blind to its importance in Dignitas Infinita. This might be the first clue that the document might receive careful attention among more astute in the United States.
The Argentine Bishops in the Vatican today, especially Pope Francis and Cardinal Fernández are quite familiar with the economic issues their people face as well as all of Latin America to say nothing of the United States’ Monroe Doctrine that affects this hemisphere. They also know about the institution formerly known as the School of the Americas to assist in promoting US policy among the southern neighbors.
Citing Puebla is a significant aspect of this document and I think it sets the tone for the rest of Dignitatis.
U.S. understanding
American journalists focus on abortion and sexual identity issues because that is what American journalists do. They are unable to see the more radical statements in this document that if Catholics take it seriously will put both our political parties on the defense.
The document draws from the same well as Thomas Jefferson but reaches more deeply into it to draw out the message that human dignity comes from God himself. Thomas Jefferson used his words to reject the power of the king, Cardinal Fernández teaches human dignity must be protected by every Earthly power.
He shows that the Church is against abortion because human dignity extends to all that is human. This might anger the Democrats. The Republicans may be angered by the fact that one cannot lose his or her human dignity which is the opposite of what one learns in a meritocracy.
The Argentine Cardinal explains that all human beings from conception to natural death possess a unique dignity that gives them rights and responsibilities in their service to God and His creation. Human beings do not receive value by whether they are productive, good citizens, in good health, not in prison, not criminals or any other reason. Every human being has a unique dignity from God and no one has any right to take that away or undermine it.
A radical challenge to US political parties
If a political candidate in the United States took this document and used it in his or her campaign he would have to do so as a third-party candidate. The Democrats would do what they did to others who did not toe their line—force them out of the running.
The Republicans would offer the candidate lip service and undermine his or her every move privately while appearing to support the candidate publicly.
This document is radical to the American political system. If put into place in this country, it would require a complete change in how the United States operates domestically and internationally. The successful political candidates for every public office would have to call for a change in our prison system because it today embodies the idea that if one is convicted of a crime (even if he or she did not commit it) the person loses his or her dignity.
Our system also supports the death penalty which the document rejects
Abortion would be eliminated because the Dignitas Infinita says that all human beings have dignity from conception, whereas our society considers one to have dignity only if he or she is born and productive.
The use of firearms would be curtailed because to shoot another human being except in the most extreme elements of self-defense would be to dismiss his or her dignity.
Torture used by governments even against those who are not their citizens would be disallowed because that again undermines the understanding of human dignity.
Euthanasia would also be so eliminated for the same reason.
No political candidate could possibly use this document as a guide for their political aspirations in this country. However, as Catholics, to use this document in our own actions will put us in the radical non-violent peace elements of our country. This is why in many Catholic circles this document will fall on deaf ears. The radical traditionalists will reject it because many embrace their love of the second amendment and the death penalty.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider, one of their heroes, and a central figure in the Catholic Identity Conference just published a book that claims anyone in mortal sin loses their human dignity which this document clearly rejects.
No to eugenics movements
The far left who have their roots in the eugenics movements of this country will reject the document because it demands them to see all as having human dignity, this eliminates abortion and all forms of eugenics movements that call for the elimination of those who are a burden to society. Some will say that this is not indicative of the far left, but as Jesus taught, by their fruits you will know them. The far right which also nods to the eugenics movements by removing from the gene pool those who commit crimes would be foiled in their attempts to pass the three strikes law which calls for a convict to spend life in prison after a third offense.
Many in the US will also dispute its statements on transgenderism without seeing the deeper call. Solutions to transgenderism employed in the United States are in a technologically driven industry. The fact there have been people who feel they are of one gender and live in the body of another is not a call for intervention. It is a call for understanding and investigation through the history of this reality of how wiser cultures who did not have the technology we have in our time addressed it. For example, Native Americans referred to it as having two spirits. In other cultures, they addressed it in their own way, but here in the US, we are using technology to address something without seeking to understand it in a more natural way.
My analysis is not comprehensive. Dignitas Infinita continues to addresses the dignity of women, migrants and the evil of human trafficking.
What to do with the document now?
Now is the time to read the document in our parishes and understand it. This will split some parishes who will hold to the political ideas it confronts but, hopefully, other Catholics will recognize its radical nature and live it.
Fr. Robert J Carr is the pastor at St. Anthony Parish
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