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 […]