Promoting human dignity

Living in a synodal spirit, the Christian communities of Vila Viçosa (Portugal), formed by the CPPS parish of St. Bartholomew and Our Lady of the Conception (served by a diocesan priest), come together during Lent to "enter the desert" and walk together for forty days. The point of unity is provided by the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. A vast program is developed, which includes Lenten catechesis: these take place every Wednesday in the Church of St. Bartholomew. The structure is as follows: at 6:30 pm the Eucharist is celebrated, and in the homily a catechesis is developed, followed by prayer and the sacrament of reconciliation until 8 pm.

The first catechesis was developed by Father António Panea, CPPS, on the theme "The promotion of human dignity". He began by posing the question "what or who grants dignity?", and then stated: "Each person is a unique and irreplaceable being, who must be respected in their individuality". He then spoke of dignity as a gift and a responsibility, of the interaction between the individual and society, and of the importance of human rights.

In its mission and service, the Church affirms the sacred character of human dignity in two ways: “"because the human being was created in the image of God, and because God himself became a person in Jesus Christ"”.

Finally, he presented some pastoral guidelines:

• To promote human rights more effectively and courageously, based on the Gospel and the Social Doctrine of the Church;
• To commit to defending life from conception to the last breath;
• To participate with discernment in dialogue and mediation bodies, as well as in institutions that support the various victims;
• To fight firmly, in the light of Gospel values, to overcome all unjust discrimination based on race, nationality, culture, sex, or creed.