Assisted suicide and euthanasia threaten the dignity of the sick, the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and those without adequate health insurance. With physician-assisted suicide legalized in the state of California in June 2016, these vulnerable populations are now at increased risk. If those who are dying are embraced by their family and their community, they will not seek death, but will live their last days well, and then accept death when it comes.
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A Catholic Conversation on Death and Dying
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Know Your Rights as a Patient
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Life Legal Defense Foundation
707-224-6675
P.O. Box 2105
Napa CA 94558
The Church and Palliative Care
The Catholic bishops of California have vowed to strengthen palliative care and other health care services for the chronically and terminally ill, so that no one we treat feels compelled to choose assisted suicide. Through health care professionals and the care and compassion of all people of goodwill, we will continue to lovingly attend, accompany and care for the terminally ill on their final journey.
The bishops offer these resources on their website:
Preparing for End-of-Life: Discern Moral, Medical Issues Ahead of Time
The Art of Being Well While Dying
Parish Resources
End-of-Life Video Resources
FAQ on POLST and Advance Directives
FAQ about End-of-Life Care
Advance Care Directive for End of Life--Spanish
In addition, many parishes and pastors have local resources such as parish nurses and those who bring Communion to the hospitalized and homebound. Find a parish near you. -
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The Declaration on Euthanasia, which was promulgated in 1980 by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is summarized below and provides detailed guidance on end of life principles. The full document is available on the Vatican website.
Death is a normal part of the human condition
Death is neither to be feared and avoided at all costs, nor to be sought and directly procured.
Euthanasia is wrong
Euthanasia is not permitted. Euthanasia is defined as the intentional ending of human life by act or omission in order to relieve suffering.
Pain relief
Modern pain control techniques do not ordinarily shorten life. However,the use of medicine to treat severe pain is acceptable even if, hypothetically, it were to shorten life. In any event, pain control is not the same as euthanasia, since death is not the objective of the treatment. Maintenance of lucidity is an important element in preparing for death, but severe pain should be alleviated to the extent possible.
proportionality of life-sustaining medical treatment
Decisions to administer, refuse, or discontinue life-sustaining treatment should be based on the concept of proportionality. One does not have an obligation to pursue a life-sustaining treatment if its risks or burdens are disproportionate to its expected benefits. The concept of burden is broad and must be individually assessed; it includes aspects such as the discomfort, risk, and expense of the treatment in question.
nutrition and hydration (food and water)
The failure to provide a patient with nutrition and hydration, for the purpose of ending the patient’s life or accelerating the patient’s death, constitutes euthanasia and is always wrong, even when nourishment must be provided by artificial means. However, situations can arise where the provision of nutrition and hydration no longer provides substantial benefits and is actually burdensome to a dying patient. In such cases, the provision of food and water, by artificial means or otherwise, may no longer be appropriate, even if the dying process is incidentally hastened.
consultation with medical and spiritual advisors
It is not always easy for patients, family or health care agents to apply the principles of proportionality to a particular situation. Consultation with medical advisors is almost always required in order to evaluate potential benefits, burdens and risks. Consultation with competent spiritual advisors may help patients, family or health care agents arrive at objective and honest decisions.
death of unwilling victims (coercion)
While promoted in the name of personal autonomy, physician-assisted suicide (providing lethal drugs so patients can take their own lives) and euthanasia (direct killing of patients by doctors) do not remain limited to cases in which the victim gave his or her voluntary consent. This agenda ultimately embraces coercion and the death of unwilling victims.
The Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD), Part 5
The Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD), Part 5, are another source of guidance for the end of life care: "The Catholic health care ministry faces the reality of death with the confidence of faith. In the face of death—for many, a time when hope seems lost—the church witnesses to her belief that God has created each person for eternal life... The truth that life is a precious gift from God has profound implications for the question of stewardship over human life. We are not the owners of our lives and, hence, do not have absolute power over life. We have a duty to preserve our life and to use for the
glory of God, but the duty to preserve our life is not absolute, for we may reject life-prolonging procedures that are insufficiently beneficial or excessively burdensome. Suicide and euthanasia are never morally acceptable options."
LEARN HERE ABOUT "WHOLE PERSON CARE"