Choose Life – A Valuable Resource in Better Understanding the Latimer Case

Wednesday, January 31 2001

(CCCB—Ottawa) The recent decision by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Latimer affair brought to light many ethical questions that affect human life. A publication by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF), entitled Choose Life, seeks to help promote reflection and discussion and to explain the different perspectives of Christian ethical thought in regards to life.

Choose Life was published in 1997 in leaflet format as a popularization of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae, which strongly reaffirmed the value of human life. The six-page leaflet is aimed at making people more aware of this important encyclical which challenges us to choose between a culture of life and a culture of death.

A booklet is also available containing workshop material that focuses on the Church’s vision of life in the face of such topics as euthanasia, assisted suicide, the death penalty, abortion and new reproductive technologies. The booklet is designed to be used by both young people and adults alike in order to deepen their understanding of the important ethical challenges of the contemporary world. It includes case studies, role-playing exercises, cartoons, suggested activities and additional suggestions for reflection and action.

The leaflet is offered free of charge (donations gratefully accepted) by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF). The workshop booklet as well as the encyclical Evangelium Vitae are available through the Publications Service of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops at $14.95 and $4.95 respectively. Copies may be ordered by calling toll free at 1-800-769-1147 or by sending an e-mail to publi@cccb.ca. COLF, a joint project of the CCCB and the Knights of Columbus, may be reached at 1-613-241-9461, at ocvfcolf@cccb.ca, or the COLF website at http://colf.cccb.ca.