Posts Tagged ‘Euthanasia’

Support Life Sunday – putting life and human dignity first

Monday, October 14th, 2024
Support Life Sunday

Support Life Sunday is a day set aside to encourage Catholics everywhere to reflect on life and the human dignity of every person. “Every person matters… always! He mea nui te ora o ngā tāngata katoa… i ngā wā katoa!” So reads New Zealand’s Support Life Sunday tagline. Inspired by the Vatican document Dignitas Infinita Read more

Canada government sued to allow euthanasia for mental illness

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

A Canadian non-profit organisation, Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC), has filed a constitutional challenge against the federal government, seeking to expand the country’s euthanasia programme to include individuals suffering from mental illness. The legal action claims the current exclusion of mental illness from the Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) programme is discriminatory under the Canadian Read more

Vatican revises guidelines for patients in a vegetative state

Monday, August 12th, 2024

The Vatican has signaled a nuanced shift in its stance on providing food and hydration to patients in a vegetative state. The stance is outlined in a new document published by the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV). The text, titled “Small Lexicon on End of Life”, indicates a slight departure from the Church’s previous position. Read more

Ministering to euthanasia patients

Monday, February 12th, 2024
euthanasia

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are now legal in all Australian States. In each State, however, there are conditions and restrictions. Advocates for euthanasia are currently calling for a review of some of these restrictions. There has been, for instance, a call that advice on euthanasia and assisted suicide should be available via telehealth. It should Read more

Euthanasia – inner turmoil of scheduling time and date

Thursday, November 9th, 2023
euthanasia

Two hundred and fifty-seven people chose to die by euthanasia in first year since euthanasia became legal in New Zealand, says Victoria University assisted dying researcher Dr Jessica Young. Hundreds more explored the service but chose not to proceed, she says. However, Young’s conversations with 19 individuals who opted for euthanasia paint a picture of Read more

Science helps avoid bad compassion

Thursday, September 28th, 2023
Bad compassion

In a candid discussion with reporters on September 23, Pope Francis warned against what he termed bad compassion. Francis defined bad compassion as the law not to let the child grow in the mother’s womb or the law of euthanasia in disease and old age.” Clarifying, he added “I am not saying it is a Read more

Rebel Italian cleric formally dismissed from priesthood

Monday, August 28th, 2023

A high-profile Italian priest who championed euthanasia and same-sex marriage has been dismissed from the priesthood at his own request. Fr Luca Favarin, 53, who had been suspended since last December, made the announcement of his dismissal from the clerical state in an August 24 post on Facebook, saying the Vatican decree had arrived the Read more

All out for 75

Thursday, May 25th, 2023

What if our health or happiness does not determine the age at which we die, but by those who deem us surplus to requirements and a burden on the state? In US author Lionel Shriver’s well-reviewed novel, Should We Stay Or Should We Go, a middle-aged married couple makes a pact to end their own Read more

Pontifical Life Academy archbishop criticised for euthanasia comments

Thursday, April 27th, 2023
remarks on euthanasia

The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life has defended its president, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia (pictured with Pope Francis), against criticism for his recent remarks on euthanasia and assisted suicide. Speaking last week at the Perugia Journalism Festival on “The last journey (towards the end of life),” Paglia stated that the Catholic Church did not provide a Read more

Belgian mother who killed her five children euthanised

Monday, March 6th, 2023
Belgian mother

A 56-year old Belgian mother who murdered her five children has been euthanised at her own request. It is 16 years since Genevieve Lhermitte (pictured left and far right) killed her son and four daughters, aged three to 14 on 28 February 2007, while their father was away. She then tried to commit suicide. After Read more