What does the Church say about the consistent ethic of life?

Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia or willful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who practice them than those who suffer from the injury. Moreover, they are supreme dishonor to the Creator.

Gaudium et Spes 27 | The Pastoral Constitution on the Church
in the Modern World of the Second Vatican Council

Reflection

I am convinced that the pro-life position of the Church must be developed in terms of a comprehensive and consistent ethic of life…. The substance of a Catholic position on a consistent ethic of life is rooted in a religious vision.  But the citizenry of the United States is radically pluralistic in moral and religious conviction.  So we face the challenge of stating our case, which is shaped in terms of our faith and our religious convictions, in non-religious terms which others of different faith convictions might find morally persuasive…. We should maintain and clearly articulate our religious convictions but also maintain our civil courtesy.  We should be vigorous in stating a case and attentive in hearing another’s case; we should test everyone’s logic but not his or her motives.

Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, A Consistent Ethic of Life:
An American Catholic Dialogue, 1983

For Further Thought
Respect for the life and dignity of the human person is at the core of all Catholic Social Teaching. It casts light on how we think about a wide variety of concerns that we might not immediately identify as “life issues.” Poverty; immigration reform; access to health care,  housing and education; conditions in our prisons; and protection of our environment are all informed by and interconnected to our respect for human life. In all public policy decisions, we must be guided by the core principle of respect for the life and dignity of every human person. 

Talking Points
Talking points are intended to promote discussion of contemporary issues with friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
 
When you hear someone accuse the Catholic Church that it only opposes abortion, you might say something like: “The Church is especially concerned about abortion as well as euthanasia because many in our society claim they have a legal right to end life before birth and when someone is thought to be terminally ill. Life is the source of all other inalienable rights of individuals. We believe that all life is sacred because it is a gift from God. Based on this principle, the Catholic Church also opposes the death penalty, the destruction of the environment, and any act of war directly aimed at innocents.”
 
When you hear someone dismiss people who are suffering from poverty, you might say something like: “I think every human being has an inherent dignity and we should support changes in our society so that no person has to suffer from hunger or lack of sufficient housing. Like the Declaration of Independence said, we have certain inalienable rights. Every person has a fundamental right to life — the right that makes all other rights possible.”

from Living Faith, published by
the Archdiocese of Seattle, 2007