The Clarke lectures, sponsored by the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, evidence that the Catholic tradition in medical ethics provides splendid resources for confronting both the dramatic life and death issues and the day to day challenges that confront medical professionals. The lectures and commentaries in this volume are written by some of the most distinguished physicians, theologians, philosophers and jurists working in medical ethics. While several writers are not Catholic, all provide a diverse reflection on an important tradition in ethical thought. Although the lectures were given ten or more years ago, the tradition to which they belong and the issues they confront insure that their message never grows stale.