NOTRE DAME, INDIANA (PRWEB) May 04, 2017 -- The Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture awarded the prestigious Evangelium Vitae Medal to the Jerome Lejeune Foundation. The award ceremony was held at the University of Notre Dame (424 Geddes Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556), beginning with a Mass at in Basilica of the Sacred Heart, followed by a reception, dinner, and medal presentation.
To those in the pro-life movement, the Evangelium Vitae Medal is America’s greatest lifetime achievement award. This award signifies a great honor to those whose outstanding efforts affirm the Gospel of Life, by steadfastly upholding and defending the sanctity of all human life, from its earliest stages to its natural end.
The Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal consists of a specially commissioned medal and $10,000 prize presented at the spring banquet. Each year, the chosen recipient for this award is announced on Respect Life Sunday. This year, the award was presented to the Jerome Lejeune Foundation, in recognition of its long history providing research, care, and advocacy for persons with genetic disabilities, both born and unborn.
Dr. Jerome Lejeune dedicated his life to caring for those diagnosed with Down Syndrome, as well as performing cutting-edge research into the genetic causes of Down Syndrome. Above all, Dr. Lejeune passionately defended the lives of all humans, especially those who are disabled. His compassion for all human life remains an inspiration to pro-life activists today, and his work continues to speak for itself as scientific proof for the value of all human life.
The Jerome Lejeune Foundation continues the legendary work of Dr. Jerome Lejeune, especially in defense of all humans, irrespective of their abilities and disabilities. As David Lejeune, president of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation USA, emphasized: “Dr. Jerome Lejeune saw the brilliance in all humans. He never once allowed society to sway his perfect vision of what truly matters for human value. We’re honored to accept the Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal as a recognition of the work of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation to care for those who society tries to ignore and forget.”
As University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said: “We are proud to award this medal to the Jerome Lejeune Foundation to honor them for their inspiring commitment to serve the most vulnerable -- and often least valued -- among us and, through their compassionate work around the world, to build a culture of life and love.”
To learn more about the Evangelium Vitae Medal, please visit the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture website: ethicscenter.nd.edu. For more information on the Jerome Lejeune Foundation, please visit lejeunefoundation.org.
Eric Streiff, Jerome Lejeune Foundation, http://www.lejeunefoundation.org, +1 630-731-0489, eric.streiff@opusfidelis.com
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