On April 2, 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Rome, published a Declaration titled "Dignitas Infinita" on Human Dignity. The Declaration comprises four sections with 66 paragraphs or numbers, which is the fruit of five years of working and reworking of the Document, most of it at the advice of Pope Francis himself, which he finally approved for publication.

The Declaration "Dignitas Infinita" (DI) begins with this profound statement: "Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter" (DI 1). This is the foundational principle on which human dignity is based, and the Church resolutely reiterates and confirms the ontological dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed in Jesus Christ.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, reaffirmed the ontological dignity, uniqueness, and eminent value of every man and woman in the world (cf. DI 2). After briefly noting the relevant contributions of St. Pope Paul VI, St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on the subject, it goes on to state that Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti constitutes a kind of "Magna Carta" of our contemporary tasks to protect and promote human dignity (cf. DI 6)

"The dignity of the human person" is often interpreted and understood differently and is open to ambiguities. This Document presents a fourfold distinction of the concept of dignity: ontological dignity, moral dignity, social dignity, and existential dignity.

Ontological dignity "belongs to the person as such simply because he or she exists and is willed, created, and loved by God. Ontological dignity is indelible and remains valid beyond any circumstances in which the persons may find themselves" (cf. DI 7). Moral dignity refers to how people exercise their freedom, follow their conscience, and therefore behave in a dignified or undignified way, live in accordance with human dignity or violate human dignity (cf. DI 7). Social dignity refers to the quality of a person's living conditions, suitable for human dignity or unsuitable or below human dignity. Existential dignity refers to the circumstances and situations in life (struggle to live in peace, joy and hope or serious illness, addictions, hardships, etc.) which bring people to experience life as "undignified" or situations which help them live in a dignified way (cf. DI 8). Finally, the classical definition of a person as an "individual substance of a rational nature" clarifies the foundation of human dignity (cf. DI 9).

The Declaration then presents the Biblical perspective, development in Christian thought, and how it is understood in the present era, especially Vatican Council II and the UN Declaration on Human Rights. It emphasises the "uniqueness of the human person, incomparable to all other entities in the universe ... dignity is not something granted to the persons by others based on their gifts and qualities ... dignity is intrinsic to the person and cannot be lost. All human beings possess this same intrinsic dignity" (DI 14-15).

The Church constantly proclaims, promotes and guarantees human dignity. This is based on three convictions. "The first conviction, drawn from Revelation, holds that the dignity of the human person comes from the love of the Creator, who has imprinted the indelible features of his image on every person" (DI 18). "The second conviction follows from the fact that the dignity of the human person was revealed in its fullness when the Father sent his Son, who assumed human existence to the full" (DI No.19). And "the third conviction concerns the ultimate destiny of human beings ... Indeed, the dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God" (DI No.20)

Some Grave Violations of Human Dignity

Without claiming to be an extensive list, the Declaration draws our attention to some grave violations of human dignity: poverty, war, the travail of migrants, human trafficking, sexual abuse, violence against women, abortion, surrogacy, euthanasia and assisted suicide, marginalisation of people with disabilities, gender theory, sex-change, and digital violence. The aim is to mention some of the grave violations of particular relevance and concern, exhort people to refrain from indulging in such violations, and respect the dignity of every human person in all circumstances.

i) Extreme poverty, linked to the unequal distribution of wealth, is one of the major causes of denying human dignity to millions of people all over the world. Pope Benedict pointed out that the "scandal of glaring inequalities continues" (Caritas in Veritate 22). Pope Francis has rightly observed, "wealth has increased, but together with inequality, with the result that new forms of poverty are emerging." (Fratelli Tutti 21). Sadly, the gulf between the rich and the poor is only increasing. Our country is a typical example of this widening gulf.

As Pope Francis says, "there is no poverty worse than that which takes away work and the dignity of work." Unemployment is a major cause of poverty. The Vatican document reminds us that we are all responsible for this stark inequality, albeit to varying degrees (cf. DI 37). Hence, it is our duty to work towards just wealth distribution, job creation, and poverty reduction so that all can live with dignity.

ii) Another tragedy that denies human dignity is war. Quoting Pope Francis, the Declaration states: "War, terrorist attacks, racial or religious persecution, and many other affronts to human dignity ... have become so common as to constitute a real third world war fought piecemeal." (Fratelli Tutti 25). "All wars, by the mere fact that they contradict human dignity, are "conflicts that will not solve problems but only increase them." (DI 38). The present wars between Israel and Palestine (Hamas), Russia and Ukraine and scores of civil wars only prove it. As Pope Francis, in his address on the World Day of Prayer for Peace (September 20, 2016), said: "The one who calls upon God's name to justify terrorism, violence and war does not follow God's path. War in the name of religion becomes a war against religion itself" (DI 39). Hence, with Pope St. Paul VI, we must say: "Never again war, never again war".

iii) Migrants are among the most vulnerable victims of poverty and discrimination. Quoting Fratelli Tutti (39), the Declaration describes their pitiful plight: "Migrants are not seen as entitled like others to participate in the life of society, and it is forgotten that they possess the same intrinsic dignity as any person….. No one will ever openly deny that they are human beings; yet in practice, by our decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less worthy, less important, less human" (DI 40). The Declaration invites us using the words of Pope Benedict XVI (Caritas in Veritate 62) to remember that "every migrant is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance" (cf. DI 40). Paying heed to the voice of the Pontiff, let us respect the inalienable dignity of every migrant regardless of origin, race or religion.

iv) Human trafficking is another grave violation of human dignity. Pope Francis has denounced it emphatically: "I reaffirm here that the trade in people is a vile activity, a disgrace to our societies that claim to be civilised! Exploiters and clients at all levels should make a serious examination of conscience both in the first person and before God" (DI 41). He says that "human trafficking is a crime against humanity." It essentially denies human dignity in at least two ways: "Trafficking profoundly disfigures the humanity of the victim, offending his or her freedom and dignity. Yet, at the same time, it dehumanises those who carry it out." (DI 42). Therefore, the Church or humanity must fight against such phenomena as "the marketing of human organs and tissues, the sexual exploitation of boys and girls, slave labour, including prostitution, the drug and weapons trade, terrorism, and international organised crime" (DI 42).

v) The Declaration affirms that sexual abuse leaves deep scars in the hearts of those who suffer it. "Indeed, those who suffer sexual abuse experience real wounds in their human dignity. These are sufferings that can last a lifetime and that no repentance can remedy. This phenomenon is widespread in society and it also affects the Church and represents a serious obstacle to her mission. The Church is making all efforts to put an end to all kinds of abuses, starting from within" (DI 43).

vi) Violence against women in the world is on the rise, and inequalities between women and men in some countries remain very serious. "Indeed, doubly poor are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment, and violence, since they are frequently less able to defend their rights" (Fratelli Tutti 23). Using the words of Pope John Paul II, the Declaration says: "the time has come to condemn vigorously the types of sexual violence which frequently have women for their object and to pass laws which effectively defend them from such violence. Nor can we fail, in the name of the respect due to the human person, to condemn the widespread hedonistic and commercial culture which encourages the systematic exploitation of sexuality and corrupts even very young girls into letting their bodies be used for profit" (DI 45).

Among the forms of violence against women, the Declaration mentions coercive abortion, which affects both mother and child, the practice of polygamy and very specially femicide, the numerous cases where women are killed, especially in the American continent. One thinks of dowry deaths and murders after rapes in our own country, not to mention the selective abortions of girl children (female foeticide), which are quite rampant in India.

vii) The Church consistently teaches that "the dignity of every human being has an intrinsic character and is valid from the moment of conception until natural death". The Church's magisterium has always spoken out against abortion. "Among all the crimes which can be committed against life, procured abortion has characteristics making it particularly serious and deplorable ... procured abortion is the deliberate and direct killing, by whatever means it is carried out, of a human being in the initial phase of his or her existence, extending from conception to birth." (Evangelium Vitae 58).

Unborn children are the most defenceless and innocent. There are attempts nowadays to deny them their human dignity and not to consider them as persons until birth. Unfortunately, most of the countries, including ours, have legalised abortion. The Declaration states with all force and clarity that "the defense of the unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development" (DI 47). "The practice of keeping alive human embryos in Vivo or in Vitro for experimental or commercial purposes is totally opposed to human dignity" (Donum Vitae 82). Let us, therefore, respect human life and defend and protect it from the moment of conception to natural death.

viii) Surrogacy is not morally acceptable. Dignitas Infinita quotes Pope Francis from his Address to Members of Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See (January 8, 2024), calling the practice of surrogate motherhood disagreeable: "The path to peace calls for respect for life, for every human life, starting with the life of the unborn child in the mother's womb, which cannot be suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking. In this regard, I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother's material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract" (DI 48).

The practice of surrogacy violates the dignity of the child, who should be born of the conjugal union of husband and wife and lawful human procreation. Surrogacy also violates the dignity of the woman, whether she is coerced into it or chooses to subject herself to it freely, her womb being commercialised. (cf. DI 50). Hence, this practice should be banned through proper legislation.

ix) A mistaken understanding of human dignity turns the concept of dignity against life itself. Laws permitting euthanasia and assisted suicide, or those advocating them, often call them "death with dignity acts." Thus, "there is a widespread notion that euthanasia or assisted suicide is somehow consistent with respect for the dignity of the human person. However, in response to this, it must be strongly reiterated that suffering does not cause the sick to lose their dignity, which is intrinsically and inalienably their own" (DI 51).

Those in critical condition or terminally ill need appropriate palliative care by avoiding aggressive treatments or disproportionate medical procedures. But we cannot put an end to one's own or another's life in the name of alleviating suffering or 'death with dignity'. "Indeed, there are no circumstances under which human life would cease from being dignified and could, as a result, be put to an end. Life is a right, not death, which must be welcomed, not administered" (DI 52).

x) Some cultures tend to marginalise or even oppress individuals with disabilities, treating them as 'rejects' or unwanted. In fact, those experiencing physical or mental limitations need our special attention, care and concern. As Pope Francis reminds us, "each human being, regardless of their vulnerabilities, receives his or her dignity from the sole fact of being willed and loved by God. Thus, every effort must be made to encourage the inclusion and active participation of those who are affected by frailty or disability in the life of society and of the Church". Every effort must be made to protect the status and dignity of the human person, even if, and especially if, they suffer from any disability or limitation (cf. DI 53-54).

xi) The Church reaffirms that "every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, while every sign of unjust discrimination is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence." (Amoris Laetitia 250). Therefore, it is contrary to human dignity and deplorable to imprison, torture and deprive anyone of the good of life solely because of one's sexual orientation (cf. DI 55).

However, gender theory, with its aim to make everyone equal, dangerously cancels or denies sexual differences, which are the greatest possible differences between living beings. This fundamental difference is not only the greatest imaginable difference but also the most beautiful and powerful of them. It is a precious gift from God, who created us as male and female. The ideology of the gender theory encourages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the anthological basis of the family (cf. Amoris Laetitia 56). Therefore, all attempts to obscure references to the inalienable sexual difference between men and women are to be rejected. Only by acknowledging and accepting this difference in reciprocity can all people fully discover themselves, their dignity, and their identity (cf. DI 59).

xii) The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "the human body shares in the dignity of 'the image of God.'" (CCC 364). Pope Francis affirms: "creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created." (Amoris Laetitia 56). Therefore, "any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception" (DI 60).

xiii) While digital technologies may offer many possibilities for promoting human dignity, they also have tremendous potential for exploitation, exclusion and violence, thus harming the dignity of the human person. Fake news, slander, loneliness, manipulation, addiction, pornography, loss of contact with concrete reality, blocking interpersonal relationships, cyberbullying, gambling, 'dark web' etc. are some of their adverse or evil effects (cf. DI 61).

Therefore, if technology is to serve human dignity and not harm it, and if it is to promote peace rather than violence, then the human community must be proactive in addressing these trends concerning human dignity and promoting the common good. The internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God (cf. DI 62). Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) is also good and offers immense possibilities, but it is not without risks. All technologies, therefore, must be so used that they guide us to generous encounters with others, to honest pursuit of the whole truth, to service, to closeness to the underprivileged, and to promote the common good (cf. DI 62).

The present Declaration on the infinite dignity of the human person basically reiterated the Biblical and Magisterial teaching, especially of Pope Francis, on Human Dignity, calling our attention to some of the grave violations of human dignity in our time. With it, the Church "ardently urges that respect for the dignity of the human person beyond all circumstances be placed at the centre of the commitment to the common good and at the centre of every legal system. Indeed, respect for the dignity of each person is the indispensable basis for the existence of any society ... (and) forms the basis for upholding fundamental human rights" (DI 64).

Each individual and also every human community is responsible for the concrete and actual realisation of human dignity. States should protect human dignity and guarantee the conditions necessary for it to flourish in the integral promotion of the human person (cf. DI 65).

In the face of many violations of human dignity in the present world that seriously threaten the future of the human family, the Church encourages the promotion of the dignity of every human person, regardless of their physical, mental, cultural, social, and religious characteristics. The Declaration ends with Pope Francis' words taken from Laudato Si (205), which is an appeal directed to each of us: "I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity which is ours. No one has the right to take it from us" (DI 66).

May we all heed the good Pope's appeal, for human dignity must be respected, promoted and defended in the face of many violations, some of which have been enumerated above, and many more, though not mentioned in the Declaration, are equally grave.