Dignity Of The Human Person

We know that man is made for love, because we know that man is made in the image of God (Gen 1:27). In his 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Saint John Paul II reflected upon what this means:

Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase.

St. John Paul II spent his entire pontificate defending this truth about man. All human persons—including the poor, the sick, the handicapped, the elderly, and the unborn—are called to the fullness of life.

During his time as Pope, this dignity was being threatened throughout the world. The lack of religious freedom in communist countries, the legalization of abortion in democratic ones, and the subhuman living conditions in others all presented challenges to the inestimable worth of the human person. In our new permanent exhibit, A Gift of Love: The Life of Saint John Paul II, we remember the sainted pontiff for responding to these threats by preaching the gospel of life to all nations.

We also remember how St. John Paul II passed this truth on to the young. He told young people that they were “called to a fullness of life” and to share in the “very life of God.” At World Youth Days in Denver, Manila, Rome and Toronto, he challenged his young listeners to open themselves to the call of Christ and to respond courageously.

This truth also inspired St. John Paul II to draw others to it. Throughout his pontificate, he made interreligious and ecumenical dialogue a priority. He also reached out to world leaders, boldly reminding them of the dignity of every human person.

On this day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children, we especially remember that every life is a precious gift of “inestimable value.” In our permanent exhibit, we show that St. John Paul II "crossed the threshold" to the third millennium bearing this truth about the human person, celebrating the gospel of life and always inviting others to join him.

Please join us here in the coming weeks as we continue to explore the themes of our permanent exhibit. As you learn more, prayerfully consider a pilgrimage to see these themes come to life yourself.

St. John Paul II, Pray for Us!