The Episcopal Commission and the Archdiocesan Commissions on the Family have renamed their commissions to include the term “Life.” Thus, we have the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life and the Archdiocesan Commissions on Family and Life. This step was taken in response to the encyclical letter of Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life.

The Gospel of Life was written by our Holy Father in order to raise the consciousness of the Church on the sacredness of human life as a basic value rooted in the dignity of man. He calls the attention of Christians to the imminent defeat of the “culture of life” due to the growing worldwide legalization of abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia. The Holy Father exhorts the faithful that there is no obligation in conscience to obey such laws. He explicitly states that the purpose of the encyclical is to remind the Church of its duty not to be silent on the grave immoral acts brought about by the anti-life issues and its grave consequence to the destruction of civilization.

Thus, the work on the protection and promotion of the family also has a distinct emphasis on the promotion and protection of life issues. Further, since the culture of death has a disproportionate effect on the poor, a strong pro-life stance is very much in keeping with the work for total human liberation.

In other words, to be pro-God, pro-family and pro-poor is to be pro-life.

In line with this, CFC is formally establishing its pro-life ministry. Being a major thrust of CFC, on the pastoral-organizational structure it will be at the same level as the Family Ministries, the Social Ministries and Gawad Kalinga.

Approved by the CFC Council on June 4, 2005