എയ്മി ഒരു പാഠമായെങ്കില്‍

വിരിയും മുമ്പേ കൊഴിഞ്ഞ ഒരു പൂവുപോലെ,
പാടി തീരും മുമ്പേ നിലച്ചു പോയ ഒരു സുന്ദരഗാനം പോലെ,
മുഴുമിക്കും മുമ്പേ മാഞ്ഞു പോയ ഒരു മനോഹരസ്വപ്നം പോലെ,
യൌവനത്തിന്റെ നാളുകളില്‍ .. ഇരുപത്തേഴാം വയസ്സില്‍
മരണത്തിനു കീഴടങ്ങേണ്ടി വന്നവള്‍ .. എയ്മി വൈന്‍ഹൌസ്.
ദൈവം കനിഞ്ഞു നല്‍കിയ സ്വര മാധുര്യം,
ലോകം മുഴുവന്‍ ആരാധകര്‍ ,
ചെറിയ പ്രായത്തില്‍ തന്നെ അഞ്ചു ഗ്രാമി പുരസ്കാരങ്ങളടക്കം
നിരവധി നിരവധി സമ്മാനങ്ങള്‍ ,
പണം, സൌന്ദര്യം, പിന്നെ ഒരു മനുഷ്യന്
ജീവിതത്തില്‍ ആഗ്രഹിക്കാവുന്നതെല്ലാം...
പിന്നെ... അവള്‍ക്ക് പിഴച്ചതെവിടെയായിരുന്നു...?
ഉത്തരം അവള്‍ തന്നെ പറയുന്നുണ്ട്
മരണത്തിലേക്ക് ഒരു താളം  എന്ന അവരുടെ പാട്ടില്‍ .
"now I reached a point.. where I don't care anymore"
"... I can't look for my sins"
പിന്നെ, സിരകളില്‍ ലഹരിയുടെ.. ശരീരത്തില്‍ ഭോഗത്തിന്റെ...
താളത്തുടിപ്പുകള്‍ .
ഒടുവില്‍ അവള്‍ തന്നെ പാടിയതുപോലെ
("I just keep wasting my breath")
മരണത്തിലേക്ക്.. നിലച്ചുപോയ ഒരു താളം.
താളം തെറ്റിയില്ലായിരുന്നെങ്കില്‍ 
ലോകത്തിനു ഇനിയുമേറെ നല്കാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നു അവള്‍ക്ക്‌.
സനാതനമായ മൂല്യങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നുമില്ലെന്നും
എന്റെ സുഖത്തിനു വേണ്ടി
എനിക്കിപ്പോള്‍ തോന്നുന്നത് ഞാന്‍ ചെയ്യുമെന്നും കരുതുന്ന
'ഐ ഡോണ്ട് കെയര്‍ ' സംസ്കാരത്തില്‍ വളരുന്ന പുതിയ യുവതയ്ക്ക്
എയ്മി ഒരു പാഠമായെങ്കില്‍ ...


A tribute to one of my favorite singers #Amy_Jade_Winehouse 

ജോര്‍ജച്ചനിവിടെവിടെയോ ഉണ്ട്

പ്രിയപ്പെട്ടവര്‍ എന്നെന്നേക്കുമായി നമ്മെ വേര്‍പിരിഞ്ഞാലും
അവര്‍ ഇനിയൊരിക്കലും നമ്മുടെ കൂടെ ഇല്ലെന്നു തിരിച്ചറിയുമ്പോഴും
മനസ്സ് പറയും ...
"ഇല്ല... അവരിവിടെ എവിടെയോ ഉണ്ട്"
പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട ജോര്‍ജച്ചന്‍ ഇനിയൊരിക്കലും കൂടെയില്ലെന്നറിയുമ്പോഴും
എന്റെ മനസ്സ് വെറുതെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു..
"താമരശ്ശേരിയിലെ ഏതോ പള്ളിയില്‍ ജോര്‍ജച്ചനിപ്പോഴും ഉണ്ട് ".
"ഏല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും സ്നേഹവും പുഞ്ചിരിയും മാത്രം സമ്മാനിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്
ഇപ്പോഴും ജോര്‍ജച്ചനെവിടെയോ ഉണ്ട് ".
കഴിഞ്ഞ തവണ അവധി കഴിഞ്ഞ് തിരികെ പോരേണ്ട ദിവസം..
രാവിലെ വയ്യാത്ത കാലും വെച്ച് വണ്ടിയോടിച്ച്‌
ജോര്‍ജച്ചന്‍ എന്റെ വീട്ടില്‍ വന്നു.
"നിന്നെയൊരിക്കല്‍ കൂടി പോകുന്നതിനു മുമ്പ് കാണണം എന്നു തോന്നി.
അതുകൊണ്ട്  കുര്‍ബാന കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോള്‍ ഇങ്ങു പോന്നു".
ഒത്തിരി നേരമൊന്നുമിരുന്നില്ല,
സാധാരണ പോലെ പുഞ്ചിരിക്കുന്ന മുഖവുമായി ജോര്‍ജച്ചന്‍ പിരിഞ്ഞു...
മരിക്കുന്നതിന് ഒരാഴ്ച മുമ്പ് വിളിച്ചപ്പോഴും സുഖമന്വേഷിച്ചു,
സാധാരണ പോലെ, സ്വന്തം വേദനകള്‍ പറയാതെ തന്നെ.
ജോര്‍ജച്ചന്റെ കൂടെ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന കുറെ നാളുകള്‍
പച്ചകെടാതെ നില്‍ക്കുന്നുണ്ട് മനസ്സില്‍ .
എന്റെ ജീവിതത്തില്‍ എനിക്കാദ്യമായി
ഒരു ജന്മദിന സമ്മാനം തന്നത് ജോര്‍ജച്ചനായിരുന്നു .
വെള്ളയില്‍ കറുത്ത വരകളുള്ള ഒരു ഷര്‍ട്ട്‌.
എനിക്കേറെ ഇഷ്ടമുണ്ടായിരുന്നത്.
ആര്‍ക്കു മറക്കാന്‍ കഴിയും എപ്പോഴും പുഞ്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ആ മുഖം,
ആരുടേയും കുറ്റം ഒരിക്കലും പറയാത്ത
കണ്ടുമുട്ടുന്ന കൊച്ചുകുഞ്ഞിന്റെ പോലും പേര് മറന്നുപോകാത്ത
ഓരോരുത്തരുടെയും ജന്മദിനങ്ങളില്‍ ആശംസയുമായെത്തുന്ന
സ്നേഹം മാത്രമുള്ള ആ ഹൃദയം,
പള്ളിമുറ്റത്തെ കൊച്ചു പൂന്തോട്ടത്തില്‍
സീനിയ ചെടികള്‍ ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ നടുന്ന
ദിവസവും അതിനെ പരിപാലിക്കാന്‍ സമയം കണ്ടെത്തുന്ന
എന്നും അതില്‍ പൂക്കള്‍ വിരിഞ്ഞോ എന്നന്വേഷിക്കുന്ന
ആ നിഷ്കളങ്ക മനസ്സ്,
മറക്കില്ലൊരിക്കലും.. ഞാനെന്നല്ല ആരും..
ഞങ്ങളുടെ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട ജോര്‍ജച്ചനെ...

The Light of the World

I know that I am very late to write a review like this, since it passed about a year after the publication of the Book Light of the World - The Pope, the Church, and the Signs of the Times. The book contains Pope Benedict XVI's responses to the questions of Peter Seewald, a German reporter who spoke with him over a week last summer about the most sensitive and important questions about the Church in today's world.  Though I already had the book and gone through it, recently only I have had a serious reading. Last month, while I was travelling from Milan to Zurich by train, I had a serious debate with an Italian about this book. He argued and claimed that Pope in this book offers a change in the teachings of the Church about the use of condoms. After this incident I just have gone through this book more seriously and also the explanation given  to it by Vatican. I would like to present here what actually Pope Benedict XVI meant in making a comment like this on this issue, on the basis of the explanation given by Vatican. 

The questions asked in the book are in a way ‘crooked’ and the reception of the Pope's words is likely to be varied. But, his answers offer readers a unique look into the teachings of the Church and Pope’s perspective on the Church and the world. There are eighteen chapters, divided into three sections (“Signs of the Times,” on current global issues facing the Church; “The Pontificate,” on his particular challenges in five years as pope; and “Where Do We Go From Here,” on the role of the Church in shaping the future of faithful response to God). My first general comment to this book is that this Pope is not at all afraid to deal with any questions. Homosexuality, women’s ordination, dialogue with Islam, the sexual abuse crisis: all these he addresses with such a great enthusiasm and theological depth. 

Now we come to our point. Following the publication of the book a number of erroneous interpretations have emerged which have caused confusion concerning the position of the Catholic Church regarding certain questions of sexual morality. At the end of chapter 10 of the book the Pope responds to two questions about the battle against AIDS and the use of condoms, questions that reconnect with the discussion that followed some statements that the Pope made on the theme during the course of his trip to Africa in 2009. The Pope again clearly stresses that at that time he had not intended to take a position on the problem of condoms in general, but wanted to affirm with force that the problem of AIDS cannot be solved simply by distributing condoms, because much more needs to be done: prevention, education, help, counsel, being with people both to keep them from getting sick and in the case that they do get sick. The Pope observes that even in the non-ecclesial context an analogous awareness has developed, as is apparent in the so-called ABC theory (Abstinence - Be Faithful - Condom), in which the first two elements (abstinence and fidelity) are more decisive and basic in the battle against AIDS, while condoms appear in the last place as a way out, when the other two are not there. It should thus be clear that condoms are not the solution to the problem. The Pope then broadens the perspective and insists on the fact that focusing only on condoms is equivalent to banalizing sexuality, which loses its meaning as an expression of love between persons and becomes a ‘drug’. Fighting against banalization of sexuality is “part of the great effort to help sexuality be valued positively and have a positive effect on man in his totality”. 

In the light of this broad and profound vision of human sexuality and the contemporary discussion of it, the Pope reaffirms that “naturally the Church does not consider condoms as the authentic and moral solution” to the problem of AIDS. In this the Pope does not reform or change the Church's teaching, but reaffirms it, placing it in the perspective of the value and dignity of human sexuality as an expression of responsible love. 

At the same time the Pope considers an exceptional circumstance in which the exercise of sexuality represents a real threat for the life of another. In that case, the Pope does not morally justify the disordered exercise of sexuality but maintains that the use of a condom to reduce the danger of infection may be “a first act of responsibility”, “a first step on the road toward a more human sexuality”, rather than not using it and exposing the other to risking his life. In this, the reasoning of the Pope certainly cannot be defined as a revolutionary change in the traditional teachings of the church on this issue. Thus Pope Benedict XVI gives an important contribution of clarification and reflection on a question that has long been debated. 

It is an original contribution, because on one hand it maintains fidelity to moral principles and demonstrates lucidity in refuting an illusory path like that of the ‘confidence is condoms’; on the other hand, it manifests a comprehensive and far-seeing vision, attentive to uncovering the small steps - even if only initial and still confused - of an often spiritually and culturally impoverished humanity, toward a more human and responsible exercise of sexuality. The thought of the Pope has been repeatedly manipulated for ends and interests which are entirely foreign to the meaning of his words – a meaning which is evident to anyone who reads the entire chapters in which human sexuality is treated. The intention of the Holy Father is clear: to rediscover the beauty of the divine gift of human sexuality and, in this way, to avoid the cheapening of sexuality which is common today. 

In conclusion, the explanation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the banalization of sexuality, regarding certain interpretations of ‘Light of the World’ says: In the battle against AIDS, the Catholic faithful and the agencies of the Catholic Church should be close to those affected, should care for the sick and should encourage all people to live abstinence before and fidelity within marriage. In this regard it is also important to condemn any behaviour which cheapens sexuality because, as the Pope says, such behaviour is the reason why so many people no longer see in sexuality an expression of their love: “This is why the fight against the banalization of sexuality is also part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being” (Light of the World, p. 119).

Prenatal Diagnosis: Ethical Issues

Introduction 

To diagnose, in fact, means to recognize from instrumental investigations of laboratory the conditions of the human organism and such knowledge serves for the better health and life of the person. Diagnosis in medicine by itself does not raise any ethical problems. The very nature of diagnosis in medicine and its use in medical field are elements enough to legitimate it under the moral profile. When diagnosis has crossed the threshold of the mystery of the birth and has reached, in precocious phases the baby in the womb of its mother, it is found more and more loaded with moral issues; certainly not as diagnosis, but from the point of view of its utility for the good of the unborn. In this presentation we try to analyse the ethical issues in prenatal diagnosis.

1. Prenatal Diagnosis Biomedical data 

The term prenatal diagnosis refers broadly to a number of different techniques and procedures that can be performed during a pregnancy to provide information about the health and conditions of a developing fetus. The tests are designed to identify the presence of specific conditions or abnormalities, and the absence of such specific conditions does not necessarily suggest the overall health of the baby.[1] Screening tests indicate whether the fetus has an average, greater than average, or below average risk of being affected by a particular genetic condition or birth defect. When the result of a screening shows increased risk, the pregnant patient may be offered other diagnostic tests to confirm whether the fetus is, in fact, affected. Diagnostic tests may also be offered directly to women whose pregnancies are considered high risk because of age, family history or other factors. 
Prenatal Diagnosis is helpful for: 

· Managing the remaining weeks of the pregnancy 
· Determining the outcome of the pregnancy
· Planning for possible complications with the birth process
· Planning for problems that may occur in the newborn infant
· Deciding whether to continue the pregnancy · Finding conditions that may affect future pregnancies 

2. Scope and Risks of Prenatal Diagnosis

Nature is not perfect. Natural selection is propelled by errors which are part of the given natural order. While one could question whether it is worth having prenatal tests for defects for which a cure is not yet available, that is only known after the test. In the meantime valuable information may be gained for the benefit of the mother and her fetus. Pregnant women have a right to seek accurate information on the state of the health of their fetuses for reassurance. 

2.1 Scope of Prenatal Diagnosis 

The results of prenatal tests reduce the anxiety and fears of most pregnant women and this is also a benefit for the fetus.[2] If an untreatable defect is detected the parents, with appropriate genetic and pastoral counselling, may be able to prepare themselves mentally for the birth of a disabled baby. Prenatal information may also be of benefit to obstetricians for the better management of the pregnancy, and the prevention of an unnecessary caesarean delivery. It provides an indication for specialist neonatal staff to be at hand in case of need after birth.

Prenatal diagnosis, by itself, helps to know with major certainty the condition of the embryo or the fetus. This allows, for example, in the case in which its parents have already had a child affected from serious pathologies to reassure themselves that the fetus is healthy. According to Tettamanzi, in this situation “the diagnosis can really avoid an abortion”[3]. In the case in which the examination reveals some pathology or malformation, the diagnostic report allows the parents to get themselves ready to welcome in an adequate way the new life. Unless certain fetal defects are specifically sought, routine prenatal diagnosis does not usually provide information that could lead to fetal therapy. But it can give information that may help provide medication or therapies for the benefit of some fetuses, with the exception of chromosomal and neural tube defects.[4] It is possible to provide fetal therapies for a few conditions discovered by amniocentesis. It enables an evaluation of pulmonary maturity, fetal hemolysis and anemia for therapy in utero. Fetal conditions such as anemia or Rh incompatibility can be treated by intrauterine blood transfusions. Some anatomical and developmental fetal defects can be treated by drugs or repaired by fetal surgery. Better detection rates of treatable abnormalities could lead to fewer neonatal deaths by means of appropriate fetal therapy.[5] 

2.2 Risks Involved in Prenatal Diagnosis 

Genetic service, like most medical services, affects people profoundly as individual. But they also affect people as couples and as parents of children. There are physical risks involved in the process of prenatal diagnosis. Sampling blood from the fetus in utero through fetoscopy, one of the first means of prenatal tests developed for fetuses is associated with a 3-6 percent risk of fetal death. Amniocentesis causes spontaneous abortions in approximately one to two in every 1000 pregnancies. Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) is associated with a spontaneous abortion rate of about 3.6 percent. In addition, CVS in early pregnancy presents a risk of limb deformities in approximately 1 in 3000 cases. These procedures entail physical risks to pregnant women as well, particularly risks of infection. Physical risks involved in other methods are comparatively lesser.[6] The use of prenatal screening changes pregnant woman’s relationship with the fetus. The existence of prenatal testing may be turning women’s perception of pregnancy from that of a normal, healthy experience in to a pathological condition. Even though only a small fraction of women learn that they are carrying a fetus with a genetic abnormality, they think of their pregnancies are being at risk. The normal relation of the mother with fetus in the womb is delayed until they learn the result of the testing. The feelings of the mother will affect the fetus in the womb. The result either positive or negative can create difficult situations for the couples in making decisions about the future proceedings.[7] Women may also feel guilty when they carry an affected pregnancy to term. This is particularly true in the case of mothers who already have children with a genetic disorder and who give birth to other children with the same disorder; the offer of genetic testing itself implies a tacit recommendation to abort. Women who learn that their fetus has a genetic mutation may feel compelled to abort. And they often feel guilty for the act committed and express anxiety over whether to conceive again. They fear that friends and relatives will judge them too harshly for aborting. A woman’s perception of herself may change after such an abortion, causing her to feel like an agent of quality control in the process of reproduction.[8] Women who terminate pregnancies in the second trimester after prenatal diagnosis suffer psychological traumas. In some instances their grief may be even more pronounced, since the ultrasound image that accompanies prenatal diagnosis may create an even greater emotional bond to the fetus. There is also less social support for a woman who terminates a pregnancy for genetic reasons than a woman whose child is stillborn.  There is evidence that readily available sex selection would ‘foster the already existing bias against the female child, and create an overall imbalance in the male to female ratio worldwide.[9] Being male or female is not pathological. The natural probability for procreating a girl or a boy is integral to the plan of the Creator. Parents should accept their child as a personal gift and natural endowment of the expression of their love for each other. This relationship should not be jeopardized at conception by manipulation and discrimination against one or other gender. 

3. Is Prenatal Diagnosis Morally Licit?

Having seen the scope and risks of prenatal diagnosis we can say that prenatal diagnosis are good, but there are certain risks included. We can say that it is justified only in cases under certain conditions, if their purpose and methods used are respectful of the life and dignity of the pregnant woman and her fetus, and provided the requirements of informed consent, due sensitivity for persons with disabilities, and social justice are satisfied. But this does not imply that pregnant women are in duty bound to undergo prenatal screening or diagnostic tests. Here we see some of the conditions for a licit prenatal diagnosis.

3.1 Respect for the life of the fetus 

An ethical concern arises over prenatal diagnostic tests that involve risks to the life or health of the fetus. The increased risk of miscarriage of normal fetuses, though unintended, results indirectly as a side-effect of the test. John Paul II stated the following ethical principle: “When they do not involve disproportionate risks for the child and the mother, and are meant to make possible early therapy or even to favour a serene and informed acceptance of the child not yet born, these techniques are morally licit”.[10]At the same time the assessment of these risks necessarily involves both objective and subjective elements, especially for the mother, who may be enduring great stress and anxiety over her fetus’s health, which is also enhanced by the mother’s own good health. The fetus benefits from allaying the mother’s fears and anxiety, which are not isolated from the family situation and community pressures.

3.2 Does Prenatal Diagnosis Lead to Selective Abortion

A serious ethical dilemma may arise when pregnant women are informed that their fetus is affected by a serious abnormality. In such a case the solution proposed is, sometimes that of the voluntary interruption of pregnancy. A decision to have an abortion is likely to derive from the fear of being unable to cope with the long-term implications of raising a child with a disability, especially when society condones abortion. Advance warning of future prospects allows them time to prepare to make their decisions. Where prenatal diagnosis is designed to help women to abort abnormal fetuses it is ethically flawed. In such way, a there is connection between prenatal diagnosis and abortion: it is not an intrinsic and necessary connection, but in majority of the cases it is wanted and carried out. Properly, the moral problem is placed here, which can be formulated this way: is it permissible to resort to prenatal diagnosis or to practise it when abortive wish subsists in the case of inauspicious prognosis? In the light of the moral doctrine on the abortion, it is logically affirmed that when there is apparent abortive intention in the woman who applies it, and when the geneticist is certain of such intention, the prenatal diagnosis results morally and seriously illegitimate: not only for the woman, but also for the geneticist who co-operates.[11] According to Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, it is the intention or abortive wish that morally vitiates the diagnosis.[12] 

Pope John Paul II comments: “Such an attitude is shameful and utterly reprehensible, since it presumes to measure the value of a human life only within the parameters of ‘normality’ and physical well-being, thus opening the way to legitimising infanticide and euthanasia as well”.[13] So it would be unethical to decide to have an abortion if a fetal abnormality is detected. Likewise, from a pro-life perspective, it would be unethical for a health professional to try to persuade a woman to have the test for this purpose, or who made consent to abortion, a condition for having the test. 

In a survey of 20 papers it was found that termination rates after diagnosis of Down syndrome varied, with the highest being 92 percent.[14] Thus there is a clear link between information about abnormal fetuses and selective abortion. Positive results change parents’ anxiety of incertitude to the trauma of knowing the fetus is affected with a defect. 

Another ethical problem is whether prenatal diagnosis per se amounts to material co-operation with the subsequent abortion of abnormal fetuses. According to Tettamanzi the relationship between the prenatal diagnosis and the abortion is not only given by the apparent abortive intention /will, but it can be given by the same concrete situation in which the diagnosis is done, or rather when, really attended the concrete circumstances, the diagnosis cannot have other results than abortion. In such sense, according to him, it would be necessary to be careful to verify, besides, whether the appeal for the prenatal diagnosis is entirely the fruit of a socio-cultural pressure of totally unacceptable eugenism, whether it is concretely impossible any medical-surgical intervention for the cure of the malformation diagnosed, or whether it is entirely absent any form of solidarity able to offer alternatives to the choice of abortion.[15]

3.3 Informed Consent, Counselling, and Pastoral Care 

Pregnant women and their partners need practical freedom to consent to, or decline, prenatal diagnosis without any undue pressure. There is no ethical duty to have them nor should women be made to feel guilty if they don’t. Women’s decisions to undergo or forgo prenatal diagnosis need to be informed and free. Before they choose to have prenatal screening or diagnostic tests, pregnant women should be adequately informed by doctors or qualified genetic counsellors about the purpose of the tests, their risks, the available treatment options with their likely outcomes and their implications for themselves and their children.[16] It is their role to point out to women and their partners the relevant scientific and medical facts, the range and degrees of risks involved, and their correct interpretation. Post diagnostic counselling is also very important. According to Giovanni Russo the ethico-deontological peculiarity of counselling strengthens one in the post diagnostic moment.[17] According to him this communication should be characterised by certain principles or ethical values, that don’t have to enter in to conflict but to be harmonized between them: the defence of the life, which doesn’t have exceptions, the duty to say the truth, professional responsibility to act according to science and conscience, the respect of the freedom of parents, a solidarity from whoever can have involved in the assistance of a possible handicap, organizing a net of helps and services for the best reception of the baby.[18] The dignity of the fetus must be signalled as a datum which cannot be put aside in the following evaluations of the diagnosis. This type of consultation, to be accomplished in a valid way, needs not only competence and sense of responsibility from the physician, but also of great ability of judgment, prudence and humanity. The counselling finally has to bring out the decision, fully informed and free of the clients.[19]

3.4 Professional Confidentiality  

The results of prenatal tests are personal and should be kept strictly confidential between the woman and her doctor and only shared with other health professionals if treatment so requires. When information is obtained about oneself, but which may also be true of another family member, family solidarity morally requires that an offer be made to share this information with the relative concerned, especially if this knowledge would influence this relative’s decision about having children, with a high risk of them inheriting a serious disease. The doctor should try to convince the person of their duty in such a case. 

3.5 Sensitivity for the people with disabilities 

The inevitable presence of congenital defects does not diminish the dignity nor inviolable rights of the persons so afflicted. They deserve love and care from their families and dedicated service from health professionals. We cannot under-rate the stress caused by the realization of the consequences that the long-term presence of a child with a disability may have on the daily life of the family, its income, and life plans. These are a few of the reasons why some pregnant women have recourse to prenatal screening and diagnosis. They want to be reassured their fetus is normal, to seek any available fetal therapies, or to prepare themselves to care for a child with a disability. This is not the same as saying that there is a right to a child without defects.

4. Synthesis of the Catholic moral doctrine

At the end of these considerations on the ethical aspects of the prenatal diagnosis we now, consider the teaching of the Catholic Church on this issue. Here, for this purpose we take Donum vitae, instruction of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the encyclical Evangelium vitae. To the question: ‘is prenatal diagnosis morally permissible?’, Donum vitae offers the following answer, subsequently specific and explained in relationship with the different conditions of morality. “If prenatal diagnosis respects the life and integrity of the embryo and the human fetus and is directed towards its safeguarding or healing as an individual, then the answer is affirmative. For prenatal diagnosis makes it possible to know the condition of the embryo and of the fetus when still in the mother's womb. It permits, or makes it possible to anticipate earlier and more effectively, certain therapeutic, medical or surgical procedures”.[20] Thus, the document makes it clear that prenatal diagnosis is per se ethically permissible if its purpose and methods used are respectful of the life and dignity of the pregnant woman and her fetus. The document clearly points out certain specific conditions to be taken in to consideration when these methods are practiced. It very clearly states: “Such diagnosis is permissible, with the consent of the parents after they have been adequately informed, if the methods employed safeguard the life and integrity of the embryo and the mother, without subjecting them to disproportionate risks. But this diagnosis is gravely opposed to the moral law when it is done with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion depending upon the results: a diagnosis which shows the existence of a malformation or a hereditary illness must not be the equivalent of a death- sentence. Thus a woman would be committing a gravely illicit act if she were to request such a diagnosis with the deliberate intention of having an abortion should the results confirm the existence of a malformation or abnormality. The spouse or relatives or anyone else would similarly be acting in a manner contrary to the moral law if they were to counsel or impose such a diagnostic procedure on the expectant mother with the same intention of possibly proceeding to an abortion. So too the specialist would be guilty of illicit collaboration if, in conducting the diagnosis and in the communicating its results, he were deliberately to contribute to establishing or favoring a link between prenatal diagnosis and abortion”.[21] In conclusion it also gives some directive to the civil and health authorities and to the scientific organizations and condemns any directive or program which in any way favor a link between prenatal diagnosis and abortion, or which were to go as far as directly to induce expectant mothers to submit to prenatal diagnosis planned for the purpose of eliminating fetuses which are affected by malformations or which are carriers of hereditary illness, is to be condemned as a violation of the unborn child's right to life and as an abuse of the prior rights and duties of the spouses[22]. Later in 1995 another synthetic presentation of the position of the Church is offered by Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium vitae. There he invited all for a special attention in evaluating the morality of prenatal diagnostic techniques which enable the early detection of possible anomalies in the unborn child. He is clear that because of the complexities of these techniques, an accurate and systematic moral judgment is necessary. Then he goes on giving some specific directives: “When they do not involve disproportionate risks for the child and the mother, and are meant to make possible early therapy or even to favour a serene and informed acceptance of the child not yet born, these techniques are morally licit. But since the possibilities of prenatal therapy are today still limited, it not infrequently happens that these techniques are used with a eugenic intention which accepts selective abortion in order to prevent the birth of children affected by various types of anomalies. Such an attitude is shameful and utterly reprehensible, since it presumes to measure the value of a human life only within the parameters of "normality" and physical well-being, thus opening the way to legitimizing infanticide and euthanasia as well”.[23]

Conclusion

Pregnancy is a time of excitement and wonder, tempered by natural concerns about the well being of the developing fetus. Prenatal tests are offered to women to help determine the health of the fetus. Prenatal diagnoses are per se ethically permissible, but it must be done under certain conditions. Their purpose and methods used are respectful of the life and dignity of the pregnant woman and her fetus, and the requirements of informed consent, due sensitivity for persons with disabilities, and social justice must be satisfied. 

Notes

[1] Cfr. William E. May, Catholic Bioethics and Gift of Human Life, Our Sunday Visitor Inc., Huntington, Indiana, 2000, 220.
[2] Cfr. Norman M. Ford, The Prenatal Person: Ethics from Conception to Birth, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, 2002, 130.
[3] Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova Bioetica Cristiana, Piemme Edizioni, Casale Monferrato, 2000, 302.
[4] Cfr. Norman M. Ford, The Prenatal Person, 131.
[5] Cfr. Ibid. 131.
[6] Cfr. Jose Joseph Palliyodil, Anthropological and Moral Implications of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, Pontificia Universitas Santa Crucis, Roma, 2007, 14.
[7] Cfr. Ibid. 15.
[8] Cfr. Elio Sgreccia, Manuale di Bioetica,: Fondamenti ed Etica Biomedica, Vol. 1, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 1999, 344.
[9] Norman M. Ford, The Prenatal Person, 139.
[10] John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, (Encyclical Letter on the Value and Inviolability of Human Life, March 25, 1995) no 63, Libreria Edtrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 1995, 90.
[11] Cfr. Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova Bioetica Cristiana, 302.
[12] Cfr. Ibid 303.
[13] John Paul II, Evangelium vitae 63, 90.
[14] Cfr. Norman M. Ford, The Prenatal Person, 137.
[15] Cfr. Dionigi Tettamanzi, Nuova Bioetica Cristiana, 303-304.
[16] Cfr. Norman M. Ford, The Prenatal Person, 134.
[17] Cfr. Giovanni Russo, Enciclopedia di Bioetica e Sessuologia, Editrice Elledici, Torino, 2004, 617.
[18] Cfr. Ibid. 617.
[19] Cfr. Ibid. 617.
[20] Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum Vitae, 1, 2 (Instruction on Respect for Human Life in its Origin and the Dignity of Procreation: Replies to Certain Questions of the Day, February 22, 1987), Catholic Truth Society, London, 1987, 13.
[21] Ibid. 13- 14.
[22] Cfr. Ibid. 14.
[23] John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, no 63.

Saint Wendelin

Statue of St. Wendelin in Waldnacht - Kappelle

Have you ever heard of Saint Wendelin? I suspect that the answer of the vast majority would be “no.” To be honest, I too came to know about this saint only recently. Let me share how I encountered this little-known saint. During my summer holidays, I used to go to Switzerland for pastoral service in Attinghausen, a Catholic parish in Switzerland. Waldnacht, one of the stations of the parish, has a church dedicated to Saint Wendelin. One day, while preparing my homily, I asked some of the parishioners about the patron saint of their church. To my surprise, most of them knew very little about him. Some could not recall anything about him, while others could offer only vague answers.

This prompted me to learn more about Saint Wendelin. The following Sunday, I decided to speak about him in my homily, a saint who, despite having been venerated for centuries in parts of Europe, seems to have been forgotten by many. What follows is a brief account of his life and legacy.

Church at Waldnacht dedicated to St. Wendelin

A Prince Who Chose a Life of Humility

According to traditional accounts, Wendelin was born around the year 554 in Scotland. He is said to have been the son of King Forchado and Queen Irelina. Although he was born into royalty and stood to inherit the Scottish throne, Wendelin developed a deep desire to live a simple life dedicated entirely to God.

According to the tradition, one night, while everyone in the royal household was asleep, Wendelin quietly left the castle. He renounced his royal inheritance and set out in search of a life of prayer, humility and poverty. He never returned to claim the kingdom that was rightfully his.

Wendelin's journey eventually brought him to Rome. Tradition holds that he arrived there in 574 and remained for some time. Before leaving the city, he is said to have received the blessing of Pope Benedict I. He then travelled north towards the German territories, living as a pilgrim and beggar and deliberately concealing his royal identity.

His journey eventually brought him to Einsiedeln, where he spent some time in prayer and solitude. It was there, according to tradition, that he developed a particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and resolved to dedicate the remainder of his life to God.

From Pilgrim to Shepherd

After an uncertain period, Wendelin felt drawn towards the ancient city of Trier, where he wished to visit and pray at its shrines. During his wanderings, he encountered a wealthy landowner who offered him employment. Wendelin accepted the offer and was entrusted with the care of a herd of pigs, cattle and sheep.

The young man who had once been destined for a royal throne now became a humble shepherd.

It was in this simple and hidden life that Wendelin's reputation for holiness began to grow. Tradition attributes several miracles to him. One of the best known concerns a spring that is said to have appeared miraculously to provide water for the animals in his care. The spring was later enclosed in stone and can still be found near the town of St. Wendel in Germany.

Other traditions attribute to Wendelin the extraordinary ability to be present in two places at the same time. Such stories, whether understood literally or as part of the rich devotional tradition surrounding the saint, reflect the profound impression his holiness made upon the people among whom he lived.

The Hermit and Abbot

Around the year 590, Wendelin entered the Benedictine monastery at Trier, where he received the habit of a hermit. He subsequently returned to the wilderness, continuing his life of prayer, penance and solitude. Tradition also tells us that Wendelin experienced strong temptations during this period. At times he was tempted to abandon his ascetical life and return to Scotland. Yet he persevered in his vocation. When the abbot of the monastery at Tholey died, Wendelin was chosen to succeed him. Although he had sought a hidden life of solitude, he accepted this responsibility in obedience and humility. Thus, the man who had renounced a kingdom became a spiritual father to a religious community.

Wendelin continued to live a life marked by prayer, penance and simplicity. His authority did not come from his royal origins but from his holiness and his willingness to serve.

His Final Revelation

According to the traditional account, Wendelin became seriously ill in the year 617 and realized that his death was approaching. At this point, he revealed to Archbishop Severinus the secret he had carefully guarded throughout his life: he was, in fact, the Crown Prince of Scotland.

He explained that he had abandoned his country, his royal inheritance and the privileges associated with his birth for the love of God. He had chosen instead a life of humility, poverty, prayer and penance.

Wendelin died and was buried in the cell where he had lived. A chapel was subsequently built over his grave, and a settlement gradually grew around it. This settlement eventually became the town known as St. Wendel in Germany.

His tomb soon became a place of pilgrimage, and devotion to him spread throughout the surrounding regions. His intercession was particularly sought during times of pestilence and contagious diseases affecting livestock.

The Basilica of St. Wendelin

The devotion to Wendelin continued to grow through the centuries. In 1320, Archbishop Baldwin of Trier rebuilt the chapel over his grave. His successor, Boemund II, later commissioned the construction of the magnificent Gothic church that stands today.

The church was dedicated in 1360, and Wendelin's relics were transferred there. Since 1506, his relics have been preserved in a stone sarcophagus.

The town of St. Wendel itself bears witness to the enduring devotion to this humble shepherd-saint. What began as a grave beside a hermit's cell eventually became an important centre of pilgrimage.

Patron of Shepherds and Country People

Saint Wendelin is particularly venerated as the patron saint of country people, shepherds, farmers and those who care for livestock. His devotion has been especially strong in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

In Christian art, he is commonly represented either as a young man or as a bearded shepherd. He is often depicted carrying a shepherd's staff and a book, with sheep, cattle or pigs at his feet. These images beautifully express the two dimensions of his life: his deep commitment to prayer and his humble service of creation.

His feast is celebrated on 22 October, particularly in the Diocese of Trier.

A Saint Who Chose to Be Forgotten

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Saint Wendelin's life is the choice he made. He was born to be a king, but he chose to become a pilgrim. He could have lived in a palace, but he chose the wilderness. He could have exercised political power, but he chose the humble work of a shepherd. He could have sought recognition for his royal identity, but he concealed it until the very end of his life.

In a world that often measures a person's worth by position, wealth, influence and recognition, Wendelin's life offers a very different vision of greatness. He voluntarily surrendered everything that the world considered valuable in order to seek what he believed was of lasting value: God.

Perhaps this is why a saint like Wendelin deserves to be remembered. His story reminds us that holiness does not always appear in places of prominence. Sometimes it is found in a shepherd caring for animals, a pilgrim walking an unknown road, a hermit praying in solitude, or a servant quietly doing his work without seeking recognition.

The little church at Waldnacht, dedicated to this relatively forgotten saint, therefore has something important to tell us. Saint Wendelin's life is a reminder that true greatness does not consist in possessing power, but in having the freedom to give it up for the sake of God and others.

അമ്മ... I Love you

Amma...
You are the one who brought me into this beautiful life.
You have always cared for me.
You made me smile when I needed it the most,
and your face brightened whenever I was happy.

When I cried and tears filled my eyes,
you came to me,
wiped them away
with your ever-comforting hands.

When I fell,
you reached out with your encouraging hand
and lifted me up again.

When I suffered,
you comforted me with your gentle smile
and gave me the strength to move forward.
You knelt for hours before the crucifix,
praying for me.

You stayed awake through countless nights,
keeping watch over me
whenever I was sick.

You were the first to introduce me to this world
and to teach me that every person,
every creature,
is beautiful in its own way.

You helped me see the goodness in life
when I could see only what was wrong.
You taught me the value of friendship,
and through it all,
you have always been my best friend.

You taught me when to say "Yes,"
and when to have the courage to say "No."
You gave me glimpses of a better world
and shaped me into the person I am today.

Amma,
I love you—
not merely because of all that you have done for me,
but because you are my mother,
and because you are simply you.

മഴത്തുള്ളി പോലെ

നിനക്കായ് ഒരു മഴ ഓര്‍മ്മ

Some Beautiful Moments

Sharing with you some beautiful moments....

Patron saints

Patron saints are chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries etc., anything that is important to us. The earliest records show that people and churches were named after apostles and martyrs as early as the fourth century.

Recently, the Popes have named patron saints but patrons can be chosen by other individuals or groups as well. Patron saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or event in their lives overlaps with the special area. Angels can also be named as patron saints. A patron saint can help us when we follow the example of that saint's life and when we ask for that saint's intercessory prayers to God. 

AIDS care-givers	Aloysius Gonzaga
AIDS patients	Aloysius Gonzaga, Peregrine Laziosi, Therese of Lisieux
Abandoned children	Ivo of Kermartin, Jerome Emiliani
Abortion	Catherine of Sweden
Academies	Thomas Aquinas
Accountants	Matthew
Accused (falsely)	Raymond Nonnatus
Actors	Genesius, Vitus
Advertisers	Bernardine of Siena
Advocates	Ivo of Kermartin
Air crew	Our Lady of Loreto
Air travelers	Joseph of Cupertino
Alpine troops	Maurice
Alpinists	Bernard of Montjoux (or Menthon)
Altar servers	John Berchmans
Anesthetists	Rene Goupil
Animals	Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Tolentino
Apologists	Catherine of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Thomas Aquinas
Apothecaries	Cosmas and Damian
Apprentices	John Bosco
Archaeologists	Damasus
Archers	Sebastian
Architects	Barbara, Thomas, Apostle
Armies	Maurice
Art	Catherine of Bologna
Artillery	Barbara
Artists	Luke, Catherine of Bologna
Astronauts	Joseph of Cupertino
Astronomers	Dominic
Asylums (mentally ill)	Dymphna
Athletes	Sebastian
Authors	Francis de Sales
Babies, the Holy Innocents	Maximus, Nicholas of Tolentino
Bakers	Elizabeth of Hungary, Nicholas of Myra, Honoratus
Bankers	Matthew, Bernardino of Feltre
Banking	Michael the Archangel
Barbers	Cosmas and Damian, Louis, Martin de Porres
Barrel makers	Abdon and Sennen
Barren women	Anthony of Padua
Basket makers	Antony the Abbot
Battle	Michael the Archangel
Bee Keepers	Ambrose
Beggars	Alexius, Martin of Tours, Giles
Bellmakers	Agatha
Bible scholars	Jerome
Blind people	Raphael the Archangel, Cosmas and Damian, Lucy
Blood banks	Januarius
Blood donors	Our Lady of the Thorns
Book trade	John of God
Bookbinders	Celestine V (pope), John of God
Bookkeepers	Matthew
Booksellers	John of God, Thomas Aquinas
Boy Scouts	George
Boys, young	Dominic Savio
Breast-feeding	Basilissa, Giles
Breast releted diseases	Agata of Cicili
Brides	Nicholas of Myra
Bridges	John Nepomucene
Broadcasters	Gabriel the Archangel
Builders	Vincent Ferrer, Barbara, Thomas, Apostle
Building trade	Stephen
Bursars	Joseph
Business people	Homobonus
Businesswomen	Margaret of Clitherow
Button makers	Louis
Cab drivers	Joseph, Fiacre
Cake makers	Honoratus
Cancer Patients	Michael Argemir
Candle-makers	Ambrose
Canonists	Raymond of Peñafort, Robert Bellarmine, Ivo of Kermartin
Carpenters	Joseph, Thomas, Apostle
Catechists	Viator, Charles Borromeo, Robert Bellarmine
Catechumens	Charles Borromeo, Robert Bellarmine
Catholic Charities	Vincent de Paul, Elizabeth of Hungary
Catholic Writers	Francis de Sales
Catholic Youth	Aloysius Gonzaga
Catholic press	Anthony Mary Claret, Francis de Sales
Catholic schools	Thomas Aquinas, Ursula
Cattle breeders	Mark Cavalry, Martin of Tours
Cemetery keepers	Joseph of Arimathea
Chaplains, military	John of Capistrano
Charitable societies	Vincent de Paul Chemists (pharmacists) Cosmas and Damian
Childless women	Anne (Mother of Mary)
Children	Nicholas of Myra, Raymond Nonnatus, Nicholas of Tolentino
Children, illegitimate	John Francis Regis
Cholera	Roch
Christian Mothers	Anne (Mother of Mary)
Church	Joseph
Civil Servants	Thomas More
Clergy, Parochial	John Vianney
Clerics	Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Clothworkers	Homobonus
Cobblers	Crispin and Crispinian
Coffin-bearers	Joseph of Arimathea
Coin collectors	Eligius (Eloi)
Colleges	Thomas Aquinas
Comedians	Vitus
Communication	Gabriel the Archangel
Confessors	Alphonsus de Liguori, John Nepomucene
Construction workers	Thomas, Apostle
Contagious diseases	Robert Bellarmine, Sebastian
Cooks	Martha
Court Clerks	Thomas More
Craftsmen	Dymphna
Craftworkers	Luke
Crops, protection of	Magnus of Fussen
Customs officers	Matthew
Cutlers	Lucy
Dairy workers	Bridgid of Ireland
Dancers	Vitus
Deacons	Stephen
Deaf	Francis de Sales
Death	Joseph, the Archangel Michael
Dentists	Apollonia
Diplomatic services	Gabriel the Archangel
Disabled	Giles
Doctors	Luke, Cosmas and Damian, Pantaleon
Domestic workers	Zita
Druggists (pharmacists)	Cosmas and Damian
Ecologists, ecology	Francis of Assisi
Editors	John Bosco, Francis de Sales
Embroiderers	Clare, Parasceva
Emigrants	Frances Xavier Cabrini
Engineers	Benedict, Abbot
Epidemics	Godeberta
Epilepsy	Dymphna, Vitus, Willibrord
Eucharist	Paschal Baylon
Examination	Joseph of Cupertino
Exegetes, scriptural	Jerome
Faculties of law	Raymond of Peñafort
Falsely accused	Raymond Nonnatus
Farm workers	Benedict, Abbot
Farmers	Isidore the Farmer
Fathers	Joseph
First Communicants	Tarcisius
Fishermen	Andrew, Apostle, Peter
Flight attendants	Bona
Flight crew	Our Lady of Loreto
Flower growers	Therese of Lisieux, Rose of Lima
Funeral directors	Joseph of Arimathea
Gardeners	Adelard, Fiacre, Rose of Lima, Adam
Garment workers	Homobonus
Gas station workers	Eligius (Eloi)
Girl Scouts	Agnes of Rome
Girls	Agnes, Maria Goretti
Glassworkers	Luke
Goldsmiths	Dunstan, Anastasius, Eligius (Eloi)
Governors	Ferdinand III of Castile
Greetings	Valentine
Grocers	Michael the Archangel
Gunners	Barbara
Headaches	Teresa of Avila, Denis, Bishop of Paris
Health inspectors	Raphael the Archangel
Health service, public	Martin de Porres
Heart patients	John of God
Highways, motorways	John the Baptist
Horse-riders	Martin of Tours
Hospitals	Camillus de Lellis, John of God, Vincent de Paul
Housewives	Anne (Mother of Mary), Martha
Hunters	Hubert, Eustachius
Immigrants	Frances Xavier Cabrin
Infertility	Rita of Cascia
Information Workers	Archangel Gabriel
Innkeepers	Gentian
Jewelers	Eligius (Eloi)
Journalists	Francis de Sales
Journeys	Christopher
Judges/Jurists	John of Capistrano, Ivo of Kermartin
Justice, social	Martin de Porres
Laborers	Isidore the Farmer, James the Greater Lame Giles
Lawyers	Thomas More
Lay Apostolate	Paul, Apostle
Leatherworkers	Crispin and Crispinian
Lecturers	Justin Martyr
Lepers	Giles
Lost articles	Anthony of Padua
Lovers	Valentine
Magistrates	Ferdinand III of Castile
Maids	Zita
Marble workers	Clement I, Four crowned martyrs, Louis
Mariners	Nicholas of Tolentino
Marines (Italian)	Barbara Marriage, John Francis Regis
Married women	Monica Masons, Thomas, Apostle, Louis
Merchants	Francis of Assisi, Nicholas of Myra, Homobonus
Messengers	Gabriel the Archangel
Metalworkers	Eligius (Eloi)
Midwives	Raymond Nonnatus
Migrants	Frances Xavier Cabrini
Millers	Honoratus
Miners	Anne (Mother of Mary), Barbara
Miscarriage prevention	Catherine of Sweden
Missionary priests	Vincent Pallotti
Missions	Francis Xavier, Peter Claver, Therese of Lisieux
Moral theologians	Alphonsus de Liguori
Mothers	Monica, Gerard Majella, Nicholas of Tolentino
Motorways	John the Baptist
Mountaineers	Bernard of Montjoux (or Menthon)
Music, musicians	Cecilia, Gregory the Great, Dunstan
Naval officers	Francis of Paola
Notaries	Luke, Mark, Ivo of Kermartin
Nurses	Agatha, Camillus de Lellis, John of God
Orators	John Chrysostom
Orphans	Jerome Emiliani, Ivo of Kermartin
Painters	Luke, Bl (Fra) Angelico
Parenthood	Rita of Cascia
Pensioners	Our Lady of Consolation, Teresa of Jesus Jornet e Ibars Philatelists, Gabriel the Archangel
Physicians	Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Pantaleon
Pilgrims	Nicholas of Myra, Christopher
Police officers	Michael the Archangel
Poor	Anthony of Padua, Lawrence, Ferdinand III of Castile
Popes	Gertrude the Great, Peter the Apostle
Postal services	Gabriel the Archangel
Preachers	Catherine of Alexandria, John Chrysostom
Priests	John Vianney
Printers	Augustine, Genesius, John of God
Prisoners	Dismas, Leonard of Noblac, Roch, Vincent de Paul
Radio	Gabriel the Archangel
Rain, excessive	Genevieve (Genofeva)
Retreats	Ignatius of Loyola
Rome	Philip Neri
Rulers	Ferdinand III of Castile
Sailors	Brendan, Erasmus, Francis of Paola, Nicholas of Myra
Savings banks	Anthony Claret Scholars         , Bridgid of Ireland, Thomas Aquinas
School teachers	John Baptist de la Salle
Schools	Thomas Aquinas
Scientists	Albert the Great
Sculptors	Claude, Luke, Four crowned martyrs, Louis
Seminarians	Charles Borromeo
Servants	Zita
Shepherds	Our Lady of Lapurdo, Paschal Baylon
Shoemakers	Cyprian of Carthage, Homobonus
Silversmiths	Andronicus, Eligius (Eloi)
Sleepwalkers	Dymphna
Snake bite victims	Hilary, Pirminus, Vitus
Social justice	Joseph, Martin de Porres
Social workers	Louise de Marillac, John Francis Regis
Soldiers	George, Martin of Tours, Maurice, Sebastian
Speakers (Orators)	John Chrysostom
Spinners	Parasceva
Spiritual directors	Joseph Cafasso
Stamp collectors	Gabriel the Archangel
Stenographers	Cassian of Imola
Students	Thomas Aquinas, Joseph of Cupertino
Surgeons	Cosmas and Damian, Luke, Roch
Surveyors	Thomas, Apostle
Swimmers	Adjutor
Tailors	Homobonus
Tax collectors	Matthew
Taxi Drivers	Fiacre
Teachers	Gregory the Great, John Baptist de la Salle
Telecommunications	Gabriel the Archangel
Theft, thieves	Dismas
Theologians	Alphonsus de Liguori, Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, John the Apostle
Universal Church	Joseph, Peter the Apostle
Universities, Catholic	Thomas Aquinas
Vocations	Alphonsus de Liguori
Veterinarians	Our Lady of Coromoto
Waiters	Martha
Weavers	Parasceva, Antony Claret, Maurice, Onuphrius
Widows	Frances of Rome, Paula
Wine merchants	Amand
Workers	Joseph
Writers	Francis de Sales
Youth	Aloysius Gonzaga, Maria Goretti, John Berchmans, Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Raphael the Archangel, John Bosco, Stanislaus Kostka