The former Belgian prime minister, Herman Van Rompuy, has tweeted his rejection of Pope Francis’ authority to ban euthanasia, and says the time when Rome had the final say is “long past.” Van Rompuy, who was prime minister from 2009 to 2014 and is also the first President of the European Council, was responding to Pope Read more
Belgium’s Catholic bishops have made a strong statement opposing euthanasia. They are responding to complaints that several Belgian Brothers of Charity-run psychiatric hospitals say euthanasia is allowed in its institutions. The Brothers care for about 5,000 psychiatric patients in Belgium. While acknowledging the pain a person suffering from a psychiatric illness can experience, it is Read more
The Vatican is investigating 15 Catholic psychiatric hospitals in Belgium because of a change in their euthanasia policy. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, is personally carrying out the investigation. The investigation follows an appeal to Rome for help from Brother Rene Stockman, the superior general of the Brothers of Charity order running Read more
A board governing several Belgian Catholic psychiatric hospitals says it will to start performing euthanasia in its institutions. But the religious brothers who operate the hospitals say the policy change is unacceptable and cannot be implemented. The Brothers of Charity, who oppose euthanasia, are responsible for 15 psychiatric hospitals. Between them they care for 5,000 Read more
Euthanasia approval for a terminally ill Belgian 17-year-old makes him the first minor to be helped to die in Belgium. Age restrictions on euthanasia requests were removed in Belgium two years ago. The head of the country’ federal euthanasia commission Wim Distelmans said the teenager was “suffering unbearable physical pain”. “Fortunately there are very few Read more
Religion classes in Belgium’s French-speaking schools will be cut in half, starting in October. The classes will be replaced with a weekly hour of “citizenship classes”. Critics worry that the new classes will promote abortion and homosexuality, the Catholic News Agency reported. There are also fears that the changes could end up pushing teachers with Read more
Judges in Belgium have fined a Catholic nursing home for refusing to allow the euthanasia of a lung cancer sufferer on its premises. The St Augustine rest home in Diest was ordered to pay a total of €6,000. This was after it stopped doctors from giving a lethal injection to Mariette Buntjens. Days later, the Read more
A prelate who has previously called for a relaxation of mandatory celibacy for priests has been appointed as the de facto head of the Catholic Church in Belgium. Pope Francis has named Archbishop Jozef de Kesel as the new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. Currently the Bishop of Bruges, Archbishop-elect De Kesel is seen as a moderate Read more
On January 17, 2015, PBS aired a chilling documentary about the physician-assisted suicide of a healthy, thirty-four-year-old Belgian woman suffering from depression. The film opens with shots of Eva, in sweat pants and a T-shirt, petting her affectionate Labrador as she greets the youthful Dr. Van Hoey at her home. “Let’s get on with this,” Read more
One person a week in Belgium is opting to die by euthanasia for psychological reasons. The figure was revealed by Wim Distelmans, chairman of the Federal Euthanasia Commission. He said bipolar patients were the majority of 50-60 “psychiatric suicides” last year. “Mostly they’re not old, but they’ve suffered for a long time,” he said Last Read more