Everywhere I visited people saw issues like our religion today, life, morality, justice, gender, the environment, refugees, poverty, health, education, the economy and peace, as interconnected.

The importance of any of these issues requires of us a concern for respect for human life. That is a strong challenge for all sides of the 'ideological spectrum'.  Sadly, there are blind-spots in some people and in some world leaders for this vision.

Being a 'seamless garment' the interconnection between the issues I mention makes us humble and sensitive to our own moral inconsistencies.

Nobody is asked to give equal energy to every moral issue, with exception, I believe, of respect for life from the moment of conception to our natural death.

Accepting that none of these issues can be dealt with effectively in isolation, does not stop anyone from working passionately on one issue or another.

But knowing that they are all one seamless piece, demands that we recognise an issue cannot be dealt with entirely alone. The connection between these issues is intricate and demands prayer, reflection and humility.

Being human, with our own weaknesses and failing, as I am aware of my own, we all face inconsistencies. We are thankful to our merciful and loving God for his unconditional love for each of us, and for being forgiving of us.

We must not let the fact that we can't be fully consistent, be the enemy of the good work we do, to put the issues I mention at the heart of our work and care. 

Acknowledging our own inconsistencies, and the complexities of the issues, should make us more open to listening to the views of others, and us less fundamentalist in our own attitudes. I pray for myself and you as we strive to keep the 'seamless garment' for a better world.