Rich Mullins believed in the intrinsic dignity of the human person from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death.
I believe he would have agreed with Franciscan friar and physician Daniel P. Sulmasy
When Rich's niece was born with a birth defect, his sister was devastated and wondered what she had done wrong. Rich called her and said "I'm so proud of you. I'm proud that you are my sister." "Why?" she asked. He said, "Don't you know that God only gives kids with special needs to special people that He knows can give them special love?"
Rich wrote a song about another child who was born with a birth defect. He truly believed in little Madeline's intrinsic dignity, so much so that he trusted his own prayers to her. He called her "his little prayer partner." She was one whom the world would write off as having a "poor quality of life." Some might even call it cruel, to allow her to live. But Rich saw something very different in Madeline. The video below tells the story beautifully.
I believe he would have agreed with Franciscan friar and physician Daniel P. Sulmasy
Humans have two types of dignity: Attributed dignity and intrinsic dignity. Attributed dignity can be gained and lost. For example, the chief of surgery at a given hospital has attributed dignity in accord with her position. This is both a dignity that she lacked prior to becoming chief of surgery, and a dignity that she will eventually lose. Although a permanent loss of rational capacity would occasion a tremendous loss of attributed dignity, intrinsic dignity always remains.
While attributed dignity can and will be lost, it is easy to see that what remains is an equally real, and far more permanent intrinsic dignity,which is bestowed by God upon every person. Taken from an article on by Father Christopher M. Saliga
When Rich's niece was born with a birth defect, his sister was devastated and wondered what she had done wrong. Rich called her and said "I'm so proud of you. I'm proud that you are my sister." "Why?" she asked. He said, "Don't you know that God only gives kids with special needs to special people that He knows can give them special love?"
Rich wrote a song about another child who was born with a birth defect. He truly believed in little Madeline's intrinsic dignity, so much so that he trusted his own prayers to her. He called her "his little prayer partner." She was one whom the world would write off as having a "poor quality of life." Some might even call it cruel, to allow her to live. But Rich saw something very different in Madeline. The video below tells the story beautifully.
Madeline's Song
Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
Madeline stretches and Madeline kicks
The angels in heaven say, "Hey look at this"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
And the only angels that I've ever seen
Look like tears on the face of the sky
Though it sure breaks your heart to see heaven all streaked up
With sorrows like theirs, still you know all the while
From where cobbles shine golden like emeralds shine green
From where gems stud the streets and the walls
God looks out a window at us just to see
If anything frail as a sparrow should fall
Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith (there's your faith)
mountains will shake (mountains will shake)
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
Madeline stretches and Madeline kicks
The angels in heaven say, "Hey look at this"
There's your faith, mountains will shake
Cuz God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
And the only angels that I've ever seen
Look like tears on the face of the sky
Though it sure breaks your heart to see heaven all streaked up
With sorrows like theirs, still you know all the while
From where cobbles shine golden like emeralds shine green
From where gems stud the streets and the walls
God looks out a window at us just to see
If anything frail as a sparrow should fall
Madeline fusses and Madeline laughs
The angel who watches says, "Hey look at that"
There's your faith (there's your faith)
mountains will shake (mountains will shake)
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
God gladly bends just to hear Madeline when she prays
