CHRIST AT THE BEDSIDE
The Lord loves us and wants us to have life from the moment of conception until natural death,
that is, until he calls us home. This raises the question, what is the truth about euthanasia and
end of life decisions?

The sick person is never a question of a problem for us to solve, but a person to be helped. What
can we do about their suffering? The most important thing is to be with the person who is sick to
hear them and to help them bear their trial. This presence is the opposite of abandonment.

When people feel unloved, isolated and consider themselves a burden to their loved ones, rather
than a person to be loved, then euthanasia appears as a solution. But what a sad state of affairs
that one would choose to end his or her life because you believe that you are a burden to your
family and friends. If we do not care for the dying, the next generation will not care for us.

Every Christian who believes in the Lord must one day speak the words of the Jesus Christ, "it is
consummated". The Father has invited us to share in the mystery of His son's suffering by picking
up our crosses of daily life and offering and as authentic journey with Jesus.

TEN BLESSINGS NEAR DEATH
1. The best living will is living in goodness and mercy.
2. Pray for the Priest to come to you with the absolving words.
3. Follow the Church on your "Via Dolorosa".
4. What is allowed? All that is good.
5. Seek to console and receive consolation.
6. Heal all wounds of mind and spirit.
7. To the extent possible try to preserve the sense to accomplish
your moral and religious duties.
8. Offer your suffering, however imperfectly, it is of infinite value!
9. Look at the crucifix
10. Pray each day the Prayer of Cardinal Newman.

CARDINAL NEWMAN'S PRAYER
For additional information contact your local office for Respect Life Ministry
in your diocese, your parish priest, or visit the

United States Catholic Conference of Bishops webpage.


The Florida Catholic Conference of Bishops has prepared a form that you may use
to designate your healthcare surrogate and other life issues. You can download
it, complete it and have it notarized. Save the original in a safe place where your
loved ones can find it and give a copy to your physicians, hospital and other
healthcare providers and ask that it be placed in your file.

Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops

Q. What is DNR and can I allow this for me or a loved one?
Q. Why is it sinful to take away the feeding tube and hydration from a person in a vegetative state?
Q. Is there ever a situation when it is moral to withhold nutrition and hydration?
Q. What is my moral obligation when I'm not sure?
A. DNR is an acronym for DO NOT RESUSCITATE. It means that if the patient suffers a heart attack or
respiratory failure, the medical team does not have to intervene. You are giving permission to allow
your or your loved one to die. In the case where a person's life can be saved, there is a moral obligation
to attempt every possible means to do so, including CPR.
A. First of all, one must look at the term vegetative. Pope John Paul II said, "even the term 'vegetative
state' is unfortunate and misleading - a human being must never be dismissed as having the status of a
'vegetable'."

You and your loved ones are still human beings, even if you are so disabled that you are unable to
visibly respond and react. A human being never becomes a vegetable.
A. Yes. When the patient is in the last stages of an illness and the administration of food and water
would cause more harm than good, because it causes pain and provides little or no benefit. But a
person who is in a coma is not dying. These situations are very different.
A. No one should act with a doubtful conscience. Call your local parish and ask to speak to a priest or
ask to speak to the Catholic chaplain. If you are unable to get assistance, call this office or any office
of Respect Life Ministry in any diocese in the country. They will be able to guide you to a Catholic
resource where you can find an answer.
"O my Lord and Savior,
Support me in my last hour
In the strong arms of your sacrament
And by the power of your consolations.

Let the absolving words be said over me,
And the holy oil sign and seal me;
And let your own body be my food,
And your blood my sprinkling,
And let my Mother, Mary, breathe on me
And my angel whisper peace to me.

And my glorious saints and my own patrons
Smile upon me that,
In them all and through them all,
I may receive the gift of perseverance.
And I die as I desire to live-
In your Church
In your service, and
In your love. Amen.
We wish to thank Joseph M. Mauceri, M.D. and R. Stephen White, M.D. for allowing us to quote above
material from their book: Christ at the Bedside: The Lord's Love at The Term of Life.
QUESTIONS AND MORAL ANSWERS
Q. What is euthanasia?
Q. Are there different forms of euthanasia?
Q. What is the difference between involuntary and non-voluntary euthanasia?
Q. Does a human being have a right to die?
Q. What are my rights or the rights of my loved ones regarding end-of-life matters?
A. "An act or omission which of itself or by intention causes a person's death under the
pretense of relieving suffering", [Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II].
A. Yes. Passive Euthanasia is when you withhold medical treatment or basic care with the
intent to kill. Active Euthanasia is using a lethal agent intending to directly cause death.
A. Non-voluntary euthanasia occurs when the person's expressed wish is unknown.
Involuntary euthanasia is an action against the person's expressed will to live.
A. Yes. Death comes to every human being at his or her appointed time, manner and place. But "a
right to die does not mean that one has the right to procure death either by one's own hand or by
means of someone else . . . but rather the right to die peacefully with human and Christian dignity"
according to God's plan, not our wishes.
(Declaration on Euthanasia, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 5/5/80)
A. The answer to this question is not as complicated as it may seem.
1. One is never obliged to use extraordinary means to prolong the life of a person who is dying.

2. " … water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural
means of preserving life, not a medical act. It's use furthermore should be considered, in
principle, ordinary and proportionate, and as such morally obligatory…" (John Paul II, April
2004)

3. In some states and nations around the world food and water are considered extraordinary
means. This is morally incorrect. Every human being has a natural right to food, water and
oxygen and to any medication that will make him or her feel comfortable until death arrives.
No one has the moral right to deny food, water, oxygen or medication to a patient who is either
terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state when there is no danger to the patient.

4. We must distinguish between the interests of the patient and the interests of others. We
cannot deliberately accelerate the death of the patient because the person's living presence
constitutes a hardship or inconvenience for the rest of us.
Q. What is the law in the State of Florida?
A. In 1990, in the Case of Estelle Browning, the Supreme Court of the State of Florida ruled that
food and water may now be considered extraordinary care, and can be removed at the request of
the guardian. The patient need not be terminal.
Q. Whenever I'm hospitalized in the State of Florida they ask me to complete two forms, one naming a
healthcare surrogate and the other indicating my end of life wishes. What should I do?
A. First, you must read the forms very carefully. You will find that there is clause embedded in the
middle of the page that says that food and water is considered extraordinary care and can be legally
removed at the request of your healthcare surrogate or by your physician, if you do not have a
healthcare surrogate. If you sign this form, as is, you are consenting to having your life terminated at
the discretion of your physicians and caregivers, whether you're terminal or not as long as they deem
that the quality of your life is unsatisfactory, such as being in a coma. If you authorize such a measure
you would be morally culpable.