The Culture of Life and the Church’s mission

Editor's Note: This is a guest post from Cari Henry, St. John Neumann Church parishioner and Culture of Life Committee education coordinator.

Joining the Culture of Life Committee has been a wonderful blessing in my life. In part, because of the work we do—with every action, we are helping someone rediscover his or her precious gift of life.

But also because the core message of the Culture of Life Committee highlights the Church’s teaching about hope for our own salvation. It says that anyone, regardless of the circumstances at birth, has the potential for greatness (and goodness). It says that anyone, regardless of the sins committed, can find redemption.  And it states that every person, regardless of the state of the body (or mind), has the same inherent dignity as others.

Thus, the participation in the Culture of Life Committee is a magnificent way to abide by the Church’s moral teachings as well as to be a living example of the Church’s fundamental theology! And, regardless of talent, there is a way for everyone and anyone to be involved. In our efforts to defend the unborn, the dying, the disabled, the condemned, the family and the sanctity of marriage, we need prayer warriors, educators, priests, political activists, crisis handlers, marketing gurus, scientists, ethicists, health-care professionals, theologians and anyone else in-between. Please consider joining our endeavor.

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Cari Worley Henry, MD, is a family physician who believes healing only occurs when the body, mind and spirit are fully integrated. She further believes the theology and teachings of the Catholic Church offer the best path toward this healing. She, therefore, spends her time educating on Catholic theology and its relationship to health care.  She has a special interest in encouraging holiness in our families and hopes that by targeting the hearts of women, this can be achieved. Her favorite topics are Natural Family Planning, Theology of the Body and The New Feminism. She serves as the education coordinator for the Culture of Life Committee at SJN as well as the secretary for the Catholic Physicians Guild.