Cardinal Blase Cupich commemorated the 40th anniversary of his predecessor Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s “consistent ethic of life” speech by returning to the site of that famous 1983 address, Fordham University. Cupich delivered his own address that clarified and defended what Bernardin had said, and then pivoted the concept to call for an integral ethic of solidarity. Now, as then, it remains to be seen if those who most need to hear the words of the archbishop of Chicago will do so.
“As a community of believers, we find ourselves beset by division, buffeted by a set of new questions about the church’s relationship with the wider society, and even with itself,” Cupich noted. “In many ways, we need this teaching now more than ever.”
After listing the many issues Bernardin placed on the table as subject to his consistent ethic of life, Cupich added, “Cardinal Bernardin rooted these diverse issues in a single principle of Catholic faith: that the loss of even one human life is a momentous event. Seen in this context, abortion, nuclear war, poverty, euthanasia, and capital punishment all share a common identity in their denial of the right to life. That commonality calls for consistency.”
“The consistent ethic of life could serve as a logical scaffolding for our analysis of life issues. Putting them into effect in a committed way — as Cardinal Bernardin had hoped — leads to an integral ethic of solidarity,” Cupich said. “That ethic grounds our respect for life both interpersonally and within the human family. Solidarity points to the interconnectedness of all human beings, to the unity that they should strive for, and the responsibility for the common good that we all share. Solidarity is a moral virtue. It is a disposition of gratitude to God for the gifts he bestows upon us, and of service to those who suffer.”
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Read Cardinal Cupich’s full text at L’Osservatore Romano here.
With thanks to National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and Michael Sean Winters, where this article originally appeared.
