Cardinal Bernardin was a prolific writer, who authored many pamphlets and books in addition to writing hundreds of letters, speeches, lectures and homilies. The following excerpts are gleaned from his writings, particularly those he penned during his years in Cincinnati:
Lecture at Fordham University, New York City, Dec. 6, 1983:
''I am convinced that ... the pro-life position of the church must be developed in terms of a comprehensive and consistent ethic of life. ... The spectrum of life from womb to tomb ... cuts across the issues of genetics, abortion, capital punishment, modern warfare and the care of the terminally ill.''
Letter to the U.S. Supreme Court about physician-assisted suicide, Nov. 7, 1996:
''There can be no such thing as a 'right to assisted suicide' because there can be no legal and moral order which tolerates the killing of innocent human life, even if the agent of death is self-administered.''
Mass observing fourth anniversary of U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting abortion, St. Joseph Church, Dayton, Ohio, Jan. 22, 1977:
''All human life - at every stage of development, from the moment of conception until death - has value, not because of any extrinsic usefulness, but simply because God has given it existence and an eternal destiny, because it bears the imprint of its divine maker.''
Speech at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 1996:
''As a person of faith, of resurrection faith, I see death as a friend, not a foe; and the experience of death is, I am convinced, a transition from life to life, from grace to glory.''
Installation as archbishop of Cincinnati, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Dec. 19, 1972:
''The Second Vatican Council was convoked ... to help us, as believers in the Gospel, cope more effectively with the realities we face. The council, so bold in its purpose and dramatic in its actual realization, created at the time a euphoria which no longer exists today. We are now in another, more difficult, but necessary period - that of making the council work.''
Mass commemorating the U.S. bicentennial, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, July 4, 1976:
''Our nation is surely not perfect. ... We are ordinary people who at times succumb to the temptation to put ourselves and our selfish desires before the common good. We have made mistakes. On the domestic scene, our actions have at times reflected prejudice and our international initiatives have not always been ideal. ... At the same time, however, let us not become so burdened with guilt that we lose our perspective. If we become nothing more than bleeding hearts, there will be little or no vitality left to live up to the expectations which we have of ourselves and which others have of us.''
Message in the Catholic Telegraph, March 13, 1981:
''Let us pray that a way can be found to stop the outside military aid from all sides so that the people of El Salvador can get on with the work of building their society in a way that will be conducive to justice and peace.''
Remarks at Xavier University after receiving St. Francis Xavier Medal, Dec. 6, 1981:
''In a time of economic crisis such as we are experiencing now, we must do all we can to ensure that the brunt of our adjustments in social and fiscal policy does not fall unfairly on those who are least able to help themselves.''
Address to Southeastern Ecumenical Ministry, Cincinnati, May 8, 1973:
''Both personal sanctity - an authentic relationship with God through Christ - and a concern for other men - for our society and its ills - are essential to Christianity.''
Speech at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, March 23, 1995:
'' Anti-Semitism has deep roots in Christian history, which go back to the earliest days of the church. ... It is regrettable that this long history of anti-Semitism in a Christian context has been virtually eliminated from our history texts and other educational materials. Inclusion of this history, as painful as it is for us to hear today, is a necessary requirement for authentic reconciliation between Christians and Jews in our time.''
On receiving Hebrew Union College's first International Religious Leadership Award, Nov. 9, 1995:
''The issues of anti-Semitism and of how present-day Christians and Jews understand and teach about each other are at the very core of the Catholic/Jewish dialogue. ... We can take positive steps to resolve the conflict and alienation of the past, especially through dialogue, the development of mutual respect, and careful study. ... This kind of dialogue is urgently needed on a universal basis, involving all peoples, to prevent the violence, carnage, and, indeed, genocide affecting so many parts of the world today. ... Speaking more generally, a great concern of mine is the hate-filled, divisive rhetoric in which some groups engage, both in this country and elsewhere. Such rhetoric, in my opinion, demonizes opponents and is often interpreted as giving license to use immoral means to achieve one's goals.''
A talk to Junior League of Cincinnati, March 8, 1974:
''Public and non-public education cannot be opposed to each other; we can never permit ourselves to think or to act as though the two belong to opposing camps. The vitality and health of the community demand that we look upon both public and non-public schools as partners working together for the good of our young people and the community at large.''
Christmas homily at the Cincinnati Correctional Institution, 1981:
''I have good news for you. No matter what your difficulties may be, no matter how lonely you are or how bleak your future may be, the Lord is waiting for you to invite him into your life. ... He has redeemed you.''
Institute of Spirituality, St. Paul, Minn., June 11, 1974:
''It is quite clear why we should practice personal prayer. ... We pray because we are in a personal relationship with a living human being who is God, and relationships between human beings demand sharing and communication. Moreover, the greater the love is, the greater the communication will be.''
Farewell Mass, St. Augustine Church, Minster, Ohio, Aug. 11, 1982:
''I became convinced some years ago that I could not serve you well unless I aspired to and worked toward the holiness to which the Lord has called us all. So I had to sort out the good and the bad in me. I had to root out the evil tendencies, the mixed motivations and the spiritual apathy so that the Lord could come alive in me and shine in and through me.''
Published Nov. 18, 1996.
