Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. The maiming of the body is altogether unlawful andopposed to justice unless it be by way of necessary surgerycompetently performed, or by way of punishment for crime, underpublic authority. It seems clear that public authority may inflictmutilation of members as a penalty for heinous crime; the sameauthority may lawfully take a criminal's life, and mutilationis a much less terrible punishment than death.
2. It is not contrary to justice for parents to punishtheir children corporally by way of needful correction. But noperson may justly strike or punish another corporally unless he hasjurisdiction over him.
3. Competent public authority may lawfully detain orimprison a person by way of punishment, or even as a precautionagainst impending evil, provided this be done according to theorder of justice. On occasion, it is permissible for an individualto restrain a person temporarily, as, for example, to prevent hisjumping to death from a high place, or to hold him back from doingviolent injury to someone unable to defend himself.
4. An unjust act of injuring another in his body (bymaiming, striking, fettering, restraining) is made worse if theperson injured is one to whom the offender owes a special reverenceor respect, or with whom he is connected by some relationship.
"The one thing necessary which Jesus spoke of to Martha and Mary consists in hearing the word of God and living by it."
R. Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
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"Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God."
Thomas á Kempis
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"Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts."
St Philip Neri
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