Cognitive impairment does not diminish human dignity, Vatican diplomat says (Holy See Mission)

In brief

Archbishop Ettore Balestrero stated that cognitive impairment does not reduce a person's dignity. Speaking during a conversation with a United Nations official, the Vatican diplomat explained that a person is not defined by their intellect, consciousness, or abilities.

Balestrero, who serves as the apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, said that while these qualities may weaken or disappear, a person's dignity does not fade. He described dignity as God-given and noted that dependence and frailty are manifestations of the human condition.