PRAY FOR AN END TO EUTHANASIA AND ASSISTED SUICIDE
by Sr. Alicia Torres, F.E.
When someone suffers a traumatic brain injury, should it be permissible to starve her to death? The parents of twenty-three year old Lauren Marie Richardson had to address this issue right in 2008, in court. Lauren was caught up in a bad relationship, overdosed on heroin, which lead to an anoxic brain injury. While in a persistent vegetative state, Lauren gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl.
This case tragically mirrors that of Terri Schiavo, who died after her feeding tubes were removed in 2005. Recently Terri’s brother, Bobby Schindler, wrote an editorial in the Washington Post comparing Lauren’s case with that of Terri. He brought to light how common it is in the United States to allow a loved one in a state such as Terri or Lauren’s to die, often by removing feeding tubes. Nutrition and hydration are never extra-ordinary means of sustaining life; everyone needs nourishment to sustain life!
Although criticized in the media, Catholics are bound to respect the basic needs of all human beings. May we always “err” on the side of life, and not fall into the culture of false compassion!
There are resources available to make health care decisions that best respect the dignity of human life.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center is the best resource for end of life issues, including literature online, and an ethics hotline staffed by professional ethicists who can help walk you through difficult situations regarding loved ones.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith restated the Church’s position last fall with the document Commentary on Nutrition and Hydration.
The Will to Live Project of the National Right to Life Committee provides a template living will according to the laws of all 50 states.
Lord, we pray:
- For women in a ‘persistent vegetative state’, that the courts would respect the right to life and basic needs of all patients, and make decisions that respect the dignity of their lives and the requests of family members for basic care, nutrition and hydration.
- For families facing difficult decisions about end of life issues, that they will not be divided by the decisions they must make, but rather united in their love and commitment to care for their loved one.
- For all who advocate for persons with disabilities, that they may persevere in their work to ensure the right to life for those who are unable to speak for themselves.
- For health care providers to severely physically and mentally handicapped persons, that they may be strengthened to treat them with love and patience.
- That we may not view severely handicapped persons as burdens to society, but rather as blessings and witnesses to the capacity of human beings to love regardless of the difficulty of the situation.
- That in the spirit of Edith Stein, we may have the courage to educate ourselves and others on the dignity of all human lives.
Amen
(Editor’s note: these meditations were written in 2007. Weblinks have been updated and verified. Photo credit: Carlos Daniel via Cathopic)
