Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith Responses To Certain Questions of The United States Conference Of Catholic Bishops Concerning Artificial Nutrition And Hydration First question: Is the administration of food and water (whether by natural or artificial means) to a patient in a “vegetative state” morally obligatory except when they cannot be assimilated by the patient’s body or cannot be administered to the patient without causing significant physical discomfort? Response: Yes. The administration of food and water even by artificial means is, in principle, an ordinary and proportionate means of preserving life. It is therefore obligatory to the extent … Continue reading →

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2007 (VIS) Given below is a non-official English-language translation of the Apostolic Letter “Motu Proprio data” of Pope Benedict XVI, “Summorum Pontificum,” concerning the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. The original text is written in Latin. Up to our own times, it has been the constant concern of supreme pontiffs to ensure that the Church of Christ offers a worthy ritual to the Divine Majesty, ‘to the praise and glory of His name,’ and ‘to the benefit of all His Holy Church.’ Since time immemorial it has been necessary – … Continue reading →

POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE EUCHARIST AS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF THE CHURCH’S LIFE AND MISSION INTRODUCTION 1. The sacrament of charity (1), the Holy Eucharist is the gift that Jesus Christ makes of himself, thus revealing to us God’s infinite love for every man and woman. This wondrous sacrament makes manifest that “greater” love which led him to “lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Jesus did indeed love them “to the end” (Jn 13:1). In those words … Continue reading →

Encyclical Of Pope Paul VI On The Regulation Of Birth JULY 25, 1968 To His Venerable Brothers the Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops and other Local Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See, to the Clergy and Faithful of the Whole Catholic World, and to All Men of Good Will. Honored Brothers and Dear Sons, Health and Apostolic Benediction. The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and … Continue reading →

TO FLAVIAN. COMMONLY CALLED “THE TOME”. I. Eutyches has been driven into his error by presumption and ignorance. Having read your letter, beloved, at the late arrival of which we are surprised, and having perused the detailed account of the bishops’ acts, we have at last found out what the scandal was which had arisen among you against the purity of the Faith: and what before seemed concealed has now been unlocked and laid open to our view: from which it is shown that Eutyches, who used to seem worthy of all respect in virtue of his priestly office, is … Continue reading →

ENCYCLICAL LETTER DEUS CARITAS EST OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON CHRISTIAN LOVE INTRODUCTION 1. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16). These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith: the Christian image of God and the resulting image of mankind and its destiny. In the same verse, Saint John also offers a kind of summary of the Christian life: “We … Continue reading →

1. From her very beginning, the Church has professed faith in the Lord, crucified and risen, and has gathered the fundamental contents of her belief into certain formulas. The central event of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, expressed first in simple formulas and subsequently in formulas that were more developed, [1] made it possible to give life to that uninterrupted proclamation of faith in which the Church has handed on both what had been received from the lips of Christ and from his works, as well as what had been learned “at the prompting of the Holy … Continue reading →

Click here to view Jesus Christ: Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the “New Age”; a document of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Date created: 6/4/2005 Date edited: 6/4/2005

Click here to view the Ex Corde Ecclesiae, On Catholic Universities. Date created: 5/24/2005 Date edited: 5/27/2005

Click here to view the Catechesi Tradendae: Catechesis in Our Time. Date created: 5/24/2005 Date edited: 5/27/2005