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| All life sacred?; Catholic approach to this | |
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| Topic Started: Saturday, 4. July 2009, 19:58 (771 Views) | |
| Derekap | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 13:51 Post #61 |
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I think everyday somewhere in the world someone risks their life in order to save someone else, whether in a building fire, at sea, on a mountain etc. In fairness I don't think it would be considered suicidal risk in a sinful sense. |
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| JRJ | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 14:55 Post #62 |
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Ah, no good deed goes unpunished. We are so quick to second-guess even the Saints. I doubt that even one of us could imagine approaching the faithfulness of the life of this modern Saint. Read the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe. His entire life was given to the service of God. His death followed decades of prayer and work, work and prayer. St. Max, pray for us! |
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Jennifer hubby's dinosaur blog | |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 16:48 Post #63 |
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I hope I have not given the impression I believe Father Kolbe did wrong. All I said is that it had crossed my mind. The people who dealt with the canonisation process include theologians. The Pope gives final approval for sainthood. They believe his act was one of heroic Christian charity. That will do for me. He must have been tremendously brave to act as he did. |
  Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
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| Derekap | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 20:02 Post #64 |
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You didn't give me the wrong impression, Rose. |
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| JRJ | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 21:13 Post #65 |
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My post wasn't meant to point to any single forum member. |
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| draig | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 21:15 Post #66 |
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Derek, that is just the point. It appears that St Kolbe didn't just risk his life but went to certain death. Of course, it may well have been that St Kolbe thought that the missing prisoner would be found in a few days and he, along with the other condemned men, would have been released back to the main camp.
Some people would think 'Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.' Personally, I don't think bravery came in to St Kolbe's mind when he made his decision. I think most heroic acts are done on the spur of the moment, witout any time for considered thought about the consequenses. What I think is even more praiseworthy is that the decision to lay down his life flowed naturally from St Kolbe's very being.
Would you like to climb down from the high horse for a bit. I said;
This is because what I have read about the life of St Kolbe makes me believe his entry to heaven may easily have been granted (by God) based purely on his life before his taking the place of Mr Gajowniczek. However, I was thinking that this may also have been in spite of his laying down his life - God could have 'thought' that St Kolbe took an option that was praiseworthy, but not entirely the best option for the prisoners in the camp. St Kolbe could have been in purgatory for a time. After all, St Kolbe's death had considerable effects, but not not all were for good. When I've discussed St Kolbe with sceptics, they take the view that after the war the Roman Curia were eager to laud St Kolbe giving up his life because it helped counter the negative image in which many people viewed the Catholic Church's (in)actions in WWII and that John Paul II was just eager declare a Polish saint to put pressure on the communist government in that country following the crack-down against Solidarity (Martial Law declared in Poland on 13 December 1981, St Kolbe canonized by Pope John Paul II on 10 October 1982). There are times when people give up their life in defence of The Faith or as a witness to The Faith - we have many martyrs as examples of this. I was attempting to explore and discuss the possibility that giving your own life in certain circumstances may actually be against the sanctity of life. Look at this in the light of an old navy saying, 'One hand for The King, one hand for yourself' - meaning take reasonable care to stay alive so you live to serve another day. Compare this with a quote from Spock in Star Trek; "Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" (to which Kirk adds; "Or the one"). If I've upset anyone, then I apologise.  I am not being disrespectful but merely discussing, in an abstract construct, issues that I find this very interesting.
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| JRJ | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 21:20 Post #67 |
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I see your point, draig, and certainly the issue of when it is right to lay one's life down is a topic worthy of serious consideration. The high horse comment was rude and unnecessary. |
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 9. July 2009, 21:29 Post #68 |
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I never thought any person on here had singled anyone out, so lets not worry about it. We are all good friends on this forum. 
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Catholic and proud of it! Talk to God before Mass. Talk to each other afterwards | |
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6:14 PM Nov 24