• Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
The AmericanPapist has the story.
Euthanasia, gay marriage, abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy, creation and destruction of human embryos: These are important pillars of the Democratic party.
Category: Faith and Reason, Politics
Hi Devin,
I am wondering about euthanasia because it seems like a complex moral issue. Also, I don’t understand the teaching Catholic Church, particularly wrt passive euthanasia (e.g. withdrawing of feeding tubes). I am hoping you can shed some light on some questions of morality.
Consider the following 3 hypothetical situations:
1. What if the doctor told me I had cancer and would die if I did not receive chemotherapy or some other such treatment? Would it be moral for me to refuse the medical treatment and do nothing; or perhaps pursue healing in other “less likely” means, for instance through prayer, a change in lifestyle, or some alternative medicine?
2. What about the feeding tube? What if I could no longer eat normally, and the doctor says the only way I could eat would be to check into the hospital and be fed by feeding tube for the rest of my life? Would it be moral for me to refuse that medical treatment as a “solution” I don’t want – while still valuing my life and hoping to live?
3. The extreme case of this: what if modern medicine could not save my life, but a new technology could preserve my human body in a near frozen state for the hope of treatment in the distant future? Could I morally refuse to undergo such a procedure?
(BTW, you may think this is science fiction, but this technology actually exists).
The reason this seems so complicated is that modern medicine has become so powerful and is becoming even more so. At the same time, all these treatments that are coming out are extremely expensive. The morality of preserving life is complicated with the (potentially infinite) expense and other social costs of keeping someone alive indefinitely. I dread the idea of some of this new technology that can supposedly keep one “alive” forever. Am I just weird in that I would prefer natural death to living indefinitely in a jar or hospital room?
If life begins at conception, when does life end?
Thanks for your insight on this.
Ah, for that weird 3rd case, the word is “cryonics”. Here’s a link:
http://www.alcor.org/
Jonathan,
The short answer to all three is “yes.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons.
It is morally unacceptable.
Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.
The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment.
Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted.
The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted.
The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable
Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity.
As such it should be encouraged.
I believe paragraph 2278 answers your questions best. One can certainly refuse extra-ordinary treatment. It is when ordinary treatment has already been administered (oxygen, feeding-tube) that it is not to be discontinued for the purpose of causing death. The Church does not teach that one is to use any and all means necessary to keep one alive; this in and of itself disregards God as the source of life. One may morally refuse chemotherapy, or any other extraordinary treatment.
I hope this helps. You can always check out http://www.priestsforlife.org or http://www.hli.org for more answers.
In Jesus through Mary,
Amy, M.E.V.