Last December, State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) introduced a “Death With Dignity Act” which would make New York the fifth state in the country to allow physician-assisted suicide. This bill is gaining support from other politicians in our area as well. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, along with the Bishops of the New York State, and the […]
euthanasia
Pope Warns About ‘Hidden Euthanasia’ of the Elderly
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis warned against the abandonment and neglect of the elderly, calling it a “hidden euthanasia” rooted in today’s “poisonous” culture of disposal and an economic system of greed.
Understanding Proxies and POLSTs in End of Life Planning
Planning for end-of-life situations is important. We should put in place an advance directive before our health takes a serious turn for the worse and we are no longer able to indicate our own wishes or make our own decisions.
How We Voted – States Voted on Same-Sex Unions, Euthanasia, Death Penalty
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Voters in Maine, Washington state and Maryland approved ballot measures legalizing same-sex marriage Nov. 6. In Minnesota, voters rejected a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as only a union between a man and woman. The Catholic bishops in each state had urged voters to uphold the traditional definition of marriage between […]
When Ventilator Usage Is Ethical
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk THE USE OF ventilators can pose particulary challenging problems during end-of-life situations for families. When should we place a loved one on a ventilator? If somebody is on a ventilator, can we ever “pull the plug?” Understanding our moral duty depends upon whether the use of a ventilator in a particular […]
If You’re a Caregiver, You Are Also…
by Bill and Monica Dodds As the Church marks Respect Life Month 2011, we want to say “thank you” to those of you who are family caregivers. We know that you are keeping busy, and we suspect that you may not have had the time to notice that caregiving is much more than what it […]