Papal Support

January 28, 1980: On the occasion of the Pope John Center’s (now The National Catholic Bioethics Center) First Workshop for Bishops

May God bless the Pope John Center in its desire and commitment to be of service to the Magisterium of the Church and to the cause of humanity. And may the Holy Spirit direct your minds and hearts to enter more fully into the mysteries of His divine Wisdom and to be ever more inflamed with His Love.

January 15, 1997: On the occasion of the Pope John Center’s (now The National Catholic Bioethics Center) Twenty-fifth anniversary

Finally, I join you in offering cordial good wishes to the Pope John Center on the happy occasion of its Twenty-fifth Anniversary. I pray that the Center will long continue to assist Bishops, moralists and health care professionals in identifying the ethical issues associated with the progress of medicine and in discerning solutions which are completely faithful to the Gospel and the Church’s rich heritage of moral teaching.

Pope Benedict XVI had a long association with The National Catholic Bioethics Center. In 1984 and 1991 the Center was honored to have Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as a keynote speaker for the annual Workshop for Bishops. On both occasions he took the opportunity to address the assembled bishops on the topic of conscience. His two addresses have been assembled into a small volume and jointly published by The National Catholic Bioethics Center and Ignatius Press under the title On Conscience. Pope Benedict XVI also sent a letter to the participants at the 2013 NCBC Workshop for Bishops.