Six Teachings Every Catholic Should Know
About End of Life Issues & Care for the Dying
Human Life Is Always A Good. "The
dignity of human life flows from creation in the image of God (Gn.
We Respect The Good Of A Person’s Life By Not Killing And By Offering
Care. The Fifth Commandment tells us
"You shall not kill". We have in addition "the entire law"
of the Gospel that calls us "to revere life, to love it and to foster
it" through the "gift of self".[4] In
light of this broader command to care for life, "it is necessary that all
who approach [the critically ill and dying] show by their own conduct that they
take the words of the Gospel seriously. Therefore care and concern for people close
to death is one of the most important signs of ecclesial credibility. Those who
in the last phase of life feel supported by sincere Christians can more easily
trust that Christ truly awaits them in the new life after death."[5]
Moreover, "The sick person who feels surrounded by a loving human and
Christian presence does not give way to depression and anguish as would be the
case if one were left to suffer and die alone and wanting to be done with
life."[6]
The Underlying
Evil At Issue In The Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia Debate Is The Belief
That Human Life Is No Longer A Good. The
free choice to take one’s own or another’s life, or to neglect it, is
characterized by: "A mentality ever less ready to recognize life as a
value in itself, relative to God alone . . .; a concept of the quality of life
in terms of efficiency and psycho-physical satisfaction, incapable of seeing
any meaning in suffering and handicap, and hence to be avoided at any cost and
by every means; . . . [and] a vision of death . . . as
a liberation from an existence already considered meaningless."[7]
Accordingly, "a life which would require greater acceptance, love and care
is considered useless or held to be an intolerable burden, and is therefore
rejected in one way or another."[8] The belief that life is no longer a
good may manifest itself in two different ways. One may choose to destroy life
through a lethal act, such as by shooting a gun or by administering an overdose
of drugs. Or one might choose to neglect life by failing to accept or to
provide necessary care, thus permitting death to occur when care would have
prevented it.
Persons Who
Commit Suicide Are Capable Of Eternal Salvation. "Suicide is always morally objectionable as
murder."[9] Yet, suicidal
acts of utter desperation or those induced by severe depression are not free
choices, and thus the Church does not regard disturbed persons who commit
suicide as entirely responsible for their actions. "We should not despair
of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways
known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance.
The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."[10] In any
case, all suicidal expressions should be regarded as pleas for life-affirming
help, not death.[11]
We Are Not
Required To Sustain Life By Avoiding Death At All Costs, Since Life Is Not An
Absolute Good. Usually of greatest concern
to a devout Catholic is whether a particular choice to withhold or withdraw
life-prolonging treatment constitutes neglect if death follows. Must one always
avoid death? When one is not seeking death out of a belief that rejects life,
then the answer is no. "If morality requires respect for the life of the
body, it does not make it an absolute value. It rejects a neo-pagan notion that
tends to promote the cult of the body,
to sacrifice everything for its sake[.]"[12] Thus
in certain cases, the avoidance of death may conflict with other legitimate
values, such as the martyr’’s desire to remain faithful
even if by doing so, death is imposed. More to the point, allowing death to
come naturally, rather than fighting it with aggressively burdensome measures,
may serve a value more important than "securing a precarious and painful
prolongation of life" by "mak[ing] way for a serene and Christian acceptance of death
which is inherent in life."[13] The key question to ask in an examination
of conscience is: "Am I making this non-treatment decision because I think life is no longer a good
and should cease, or am I doing it in
spite of the possibility of death to serve a legitimately serious
purpose?" Rejecting treatment because it is too
burdensome, risky, ineffective, or disproportionate to the expected outcome is
not neglect. One’’s duty to care in such circumstances shifts from avoiding death to
providing comfort and hope as death approaches.
Hospice &
Good Pain Management Respect The Lives Of Dying Persons & Should Be
Encouraged. Sometimes Catholics and others
may think that going to hospice is tantamount to "giving up" on life.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Hospice gives persons the opportunity
to complete the important work of one’’s life, such
as forgiving and seeking forgiveness, sharing love, and saying goodbye. Life
can be lived fully to the end because the hospice environment frees one from
the threat of pain, loneliness, and despair. In addition, some people are
concerned that pain relief measures offered at the end of life may carry the
risk of hastening death by suppressing vital functions. However, studies show
that hastened death by depressed respiration may be a risk in only one percent
of the cases.[14] Moreover, one can be assured that
death is not the object by considering the calculations involved. Good pain
relief is calculated to eliminate the pain and manage the risks of death,
without killing the patient. Euthanasia measures are calculated to end the pain
by killing the patient.[15]
End Notes
[1] The Catholic Bishops of the
United States, Ethical & Religious
Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Part II, Introduction, 1994.
[2] John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, no. 34, 1995.
[5] John Paul II, address on
[6] Pontifical Council for Pastoral
Assistance, Charter for Health Care
Workers, no. 149, 1994.
[10] Catechism of the Catholic
Church, no. 2283.
[11] Sacred Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on
Euthanasia,
[13] Charter for Health Care Workers, nos. 120-21.
[14] Marcia Angell,
"The Quality of Mercy", 306 N.Eng.
J. Med. 99 (1982).
[15] Testimony of Walter R. Hunter,
M.D., U.S. House Judiciary Comm.,
Provided by the Diocese of Venice as part
of its educational project, "In Support of Life--Comfort & Hope for
the Dying". For more information,
contact the Diocese of Venice Respect Life Department,