Physician-assisted Suicide Is Contrary To Key Catholic Social Teaching
Contrary to one of the key principles of Catholic social teaching, there is an ever-increasing threat to human dignity in the form of a rather aggressive campaign to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Though masked as an act of compassion and dignity, the intent is to legalize the providing of lethal prescriptions to end the lives of those who suffer some type of terminal illness. This practice is already legal in five states – California, Montana, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. The proponents of legalizing physician-assisted suicide appeal to the notion of such action as a deeply personal choice. This is yet another example of how extreme individualism fails to acknowledge or appreciate of something beyond the self. As such, one seeks to avoid suffering, hardship, discomfort, inconvenience and delay of gratification at all costs. According to long-standing Catholic tradition, morality is based on objective truth as grounded in Scripture and Tradition rather than individual or even majority opinion. Authentic morality of human action cannot be reduced to mere feelings, desire, ego or popularity.
While no one should seek out suffering for the sake of suffering itself, suffering is not necessarily “bad” or “destructive.” In fact, as long held in the Christian tradition, there is often a redemptive value associated with suffering. According to Sacred Scripture, “Jesus Christ learned obedience from what he suffered.” He endured suffering, we believe and profess, for the sake of our salvation (cf. Hebrews 5:8-9).
No one wants to see another person suffer, especially a loved one. Nothing can make us feel more helpless. What the proponents of legalizing physician-assisted suicide don’t seem to want to acknowledge or convey is that there have been great advances in palliative care. In palliative care, there is an array of very effective options for managing pain and suffering to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of dying patients.
In 2011, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a 7-page statement entitled, “To Live Each Day with Dignity: A Statement on Physician-Assisted Suicide,” which I would strongly encourage everyone to read and prayerfully consider. Perhaps parishes could provide some type of venue or forum for reflection and discussion on the statement. The document is readily available and printable on the USCCB website. Anyone who would like to access the statement, simply needs to search the title, “To Live Each Day with Dignity” and click on the USCCB website. In its statement, while acknowledging the various forms of very real suffering that many people face at the end of life, the USCCB exhorts the continuing medical advances in providing effective holistic palliative care. The statement begins as follows:
“To live in a manner worthy of our human dignity, and to spend our final days on this earth in peace and comfort, surrounded by loved ones – that is the hope of each of us. In particular, Christian hope sees these final days as a time to prepare for our eternal destiny.
“Today, however, many people fear the dying process. They are afraid of being kept alive past life’s natural limits by burdensome medical technology. They fear experiencing intolerable pain and suffering, losing control over bodily functions, or lingering with severe dementia. They worry about being abandoned or becoming a burden on others.
“Our society can be judged by how we respond to these fears. A caring community devotes more attention, not less, to members facing the most vulnerable times in their lives. When people are tempted to see their own lives as diminished in value or meaning, they most need the love and assistance of others to assure them of their inherent worth.
“The healing art of medicine is an important part of this assistance. Even when a cure is not possible, medicine plays a critical role in providing “palliative care” – alleviating pain and other symptoms and meeting basic needs. Such care should combine medical skill with attention to the emotional as well as spiritual needs of those facing the end of life."
The medical profession indeed provides a very worthy and dignified service to humanity. In fact, in many regards, it is a vocation. The medical profession, if is to be authentically considered as a proper calling, involves the promotion and preserving of life rather than an attempt to play God by determining when life should be allowed to begin or terminate. Common to the foundation of every known religion, God is the author of all life.
With all that has been said here, the Church also has a long-standing understanding on the distinction on what constitutes ordinary and extraordinary means of preserving life. While we are bound to maintain ordinary means of care and treatment (e.g. food and water) that are life promoting, no one is bound to maintain extraordinary means of treatment (e.g. implementation of life-support systems for the terminally ill) to be burdensome and useless in prolonging death. To deprive someone of food and water would be an act of passive euthanasia because the cause of death would be starvation rather than the person’s condition. In matters of uncertainty, it is advisable to consult your pastor in such situations. Above all, no one has the right to directly, intentionally terminate human life from the moment of conception to natural death by a positive act of the will.
As is well known, life is precious. For Christians, the most precious of all human existence is life eternal. It is in keeping with this end in sight that we are able to discern how best to live out our earthly existence in accord with the witness and mission of Jesus Christ, who taught His disciples not to fear suffering and death. The Cross, after all, must give way to His victory over sin and death. Let us especially remember the terminally sick and dying in our daily prayers, especially at Mass. And for those who have gone before us, eternal rest grant unto them O Lord.
