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November 9, 2008

UIC conference to answer what is ‘quality of life’

By Michelle Martin

ASSISTANT EDITOR

If you go to the symposium

What: “Quality of Life What is Meant By the Term” symposium
Who:
Integritas Institute, part of the John Paul II Newman Center at UIC
When:
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 21
Where: UIC Forum, Roosevelt and Halsted
Cost:
$30, includes breakfast and lunch
Contact:
www.integritasinstitute.org, (312) 355-3342

Catholics from throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago, including university students, are invited to a day-long bioethics symposium sponsored by the Integritas Institute on Nov. 21.

The institute is part of the John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The topic is “Quality of Life What is Meant By the Term,” said Father Timothy Fiala of the John Paul II Newman Center.

The idea is to bring the discussion of “quality of life” back to what the church sees as the essential questions of human dignity and the value of every life.

“It’s everything from euthanasia, where people might say, ‘There’s no quality of life, so we may as well end it,’ to where you have babies with Down syndrome being aborted,” Fiala said. “We want to put forth an unabashedly Catholic position, and do it with people who are experts in different fields. Can we move the conversation a little bit to look at the sanctity of life? There is a quality of life even when people are severely handicapped.”

The day will feature presentations from speakers addressing the question from six different approaches.

They are: Cardinal George, who will give a pastoral approach; Peter Kreeft, who will discuss quality of life from a philosophical perspective; Michael Waldstein, who will discuss it in terms of theology of the body; Leonard Rybak, who take a medical angle; Joanne Angelo, who will use psychiatry; Steven Sharkey, who will use sociology; and Christopher Ferrara, who will discuss it from a legal perspective.

The event will begin with morning prayer and end with a question and answer session. The symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 21 at the UIC Forum, Roosevelt Road and Halsted Street.

Cost is $30 per person and includes breakfast and lunch. Pre-registration is required. Visit www.integritasinstitute.org to register or learn more about the symposium, or call Fiala at (312) 355-3342.