Council 112 This is the Faith March 2007

Tony Marino is an Air Force veteran who later received a degree in English Literature at Long Island University. For more than 30 years, he was an insurance agent for Aetna before eventually becoming a private insurance consultant. Since his retirement in 2003, he has devoted himself to the service of St. Peter's Parish in Concord and the Right to Life movement in New Hampshire. Tony has been married to his wife, Annette for more than 40 years. They have ten children and 22 grandchildren.

This Commandment contains within it the recognition that “human life is sacred…” and "remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator.” The prohibition contained in this commandment is that no one can slay “the innocent and righteous," but our Lord, in the Sermon on the Mount, adds to the prescription, anger, hatred and vengeance, and admonishes us to “turn the other cheek." However, this admonition does not prohibit the legitimate defense of persons and societies - one of the fundamental principles of morality is the right to life. Someone who defends this right is not guilty of murder “even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow.” A legitimate defense of self or innocent life is “not only a right but a grave duty.”

The state, through legitimate public authority, has the right and obligation to prevent and stop the spread of behavior harmful to the rights of people and the basic rules of civil society. In that capacity, the state has the “right and duty” to inflict punishment “proportionate to the gravity of the offense.” The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty if this is the only way to defend human lives against an aggressor. However if non-lethal means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor then state authority should limit itself to those means in conformity with the dignity of the human person. The Fifth Commandment forbids the intentional killing of any human, but such crimes as infanticide, fratricide, patricide and the murder of a spouse are especially grave because of the natural bonds which are broken by these crimes.

Common in our society are crimes against humanity which are condoned and sometimes advocated: abortion, euthanasia, suicide. These are crimes which fail to recognize the right to life of every human, which see lives that are diminished or weakened as being disentitled to continued existence, and which contradict the natural inclination to preserve and perpetuate life. People who support such crimes have an attitude and behavior which lead others to do evil. Such conduct is identified as “scandal." The gravity of scandal is found in our society with those who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals.

Further discussion of the Fifth Commandment will be found in my next essay. In the meantime, please see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, pages 544 through 551, paragraphs 2258 through 2287. Read your catechism. It’s what we believe.

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RETURN TO CHURCH PROGRAMS AWARDS AND HONORS BIRTHDAYS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS COUNCIL NEWS FAMILY PROGRAMS FIRST DEGREE TEAM GOOD OF THE ORDER INSURANCE KNIGHT OF THE MONTH LADIES OF THE KNIGHTS LINKS OUR GRAND KNIGHT PHOTOS RESPECT LIFE VIDEO OF THE MONTH YOUTH PROGRAMS CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO VISIT OUR FATHER McGIVNEY SITE	Tony Marino is an Air Force veteran who later received a degree in English Literature at Long Island University. For more than 30 years, he was an insurance agent for Aetna before eventually becoming a private insurance consultant. Since his retirement in 2003, he has devoted himself to the service of St. Peter's Parish in Concord and the Right to Life movement in New Hampshire. Tony has been married to his wife, Annette for more than 40 years. They have ten children and 22 grandchildren. This is the Faith August 2007 REFLECTIONS FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS V. "YOU SHALL NOT KILL." This Commandment contains within it the recognition that “human life is sacred…” and "remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator.” The prohibition contained in this commandment is that no one can slay “the innocent and righteous," but our Lord, in the Sermon on the Mount, adds to the prescription, anger, hatred and vengeance, and admonishes us to “turn the other cheek." However, this admonition does not prohibit the legitimate defense of persons and societies - one of the fundamental principles of morality is the right to life. Someone who defends this right is not guilty of murder “even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow.” A legitimate defense of self or innocent life is “not only a right but a grave duty.” The state, through legitimate public authority, has the right and obligation to prevent and stop the spread of behavior harmful to the rights of people and the basic rules of civil society. In that capacity, the state has the “right and duty” to inflict punishment “proportionate to the gravity of the offense.” The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty if this is the only way to defend human lives against an aggressor. However if non-lethal means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor then state authority should limit itself to those means in conformity with the dignity of the human person. The Fifth Commandment forbids the intentional killing of any human, but such crimes as infanticide, fratricide, patricide and the murder of a spouse are especially grave because of the natural bonds which are broken by these crimes. Common in our society are crimes against humanity which are condoned and sometimes advocated: abortion, euthanasia, suicide. These are crimes which fail to recognize the right to life of every human, which see lives that are diminished or weakened as being disentitled to continued existence, and which contradict the natural inclination to preserve and perpetuate life. People who support such crimes have an attitude and behavior which lead others to do evil. Such conduct is identified as “scandal." The gravity of scandal is found in our society with those who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals. Further discussion of the Fifth Commandment will be found in my next essay. In the meantime, please see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, pages 544 through 551, paragraphs 2258 through 2287. Read your catechism. It’s what we believe. Next Article --->
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