Good to know: End of Life Issues

By The Catholic Week
This week's Good to Know focuses on end of life issues and what the Catholic Church teaches.

Q. What does the Catholic Church teach about dying and morality? 
A. We face death with confidence in faith that Jesus is a merciful and kind savior. A dying person should be provided every opportunity for good medical, psychological, and spiritual support. We must not take steps that cause a person to die, however, a person can be provided appropriate pain management by a health care provider. The persons family and friends can surround their loved one to show their love and concern. Finally, a person should be provided appropriate spiritual care through the sacramental life of the Church.  Sometimes when a person is sick, they may have been away from their parish from some period, due to a longer-term illness, so it is always appropriate to contact your local pastor to invite him to offer the last sacraments.

Q. Does a Catholic need to take every possible measure to preserve their life? 
A. Human life is always a gift from God. A person is required to take every ordinary or proportionate means to preserve his or her life but is not required to take extraordinary or disproportionate means of preserving his or her life. A person is not required to undergo treatments that do not offer a hope of benefit in the mind of the patient, nor experimental treatments. Nevertheless, there is an expectation that we do undertake those treatments that offer a reasonable hope of benefit, but do not entail excessive burdens. 

Q. Should I have a “living will” or an “advanced directive?”
A. These documents are legal in nature, and they share your wishes with medical professionals. While these documents may be advised in certain circumstances, it is probably more appropriate to have a person who can serve as your medical power of attorney. This person can be a spouse, close relative, or even a friend.  Your medical power of attorney and you can have conversations about important topics, such as the prolonged use of a ventilator or invasive treatments. Medical situations are not predictable and there can be flexibility for discussions between your medical power of attorney and healthcare providers, which written instructions might not have considered.  Also, a person’s health condition can change, so having a medical power of attorney allows for flexibility. 

 Q. You mentioned “last sacraments,” is that different than anointing of the sick? 
A. Anointing of the sick can be administered to anyone who is seriously ill. In it the Church prays for healing and that the Lord will relieve them. The person does not need to be dying to receive anointing of the sick. When a person is actively dying, the Church’s pastoral care is a little different. The priest would still provide anointing of the sick, but he would also provide absolution, the apostolic pardon (a plenary indulgence), and, if the person can receive, Holy Communion, called viaticum, which means “food for the journey.” 

Q. Where can I learn more about all of this?
A. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has produced a wonderful teaching document about Catholic healthcare ethics, called “The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services.” It is available on their website for free. While the document is written for Catholic hospitals and medical providers, it does clearly express the Church’s teaching on life issues, and it is a very easy read. The National Catholic Bioethics Center is also a great resource for learning more about Catholic health care ethics.