As I stated in my last article, this month I want to
answer a question concerning Living Wills.
The questioner writes: Some
years a go I asked the priest who was our pastor if the Church had any
reservations about Living Wills. He
checked with a theologian and said there was none. Since then I have heard different versions of this opinion. What is the Church’s official position on
this matter?
This is a great question. I am sure that many of us have similar concerns. So, for the “official” teaching on this matter I went to the ultimate source: The Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Catechism states:
2278. Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
This statement contains two very important points. The first deals with the refusal of treatment. Extraordinary means to sustain life can be withheld if the ability to impede or prevent death is not possible. In other words if the condition of the patient is terminal and the application of medicine or procedure will not prevent immanent death then medications and / or procedures to prolong life may be withheld.
The second point concerns how the decision is made. It is preferred that the patient makes this decision if he or she is competent enough to make the decision. If not the decision is to be made by those who are legally acting for the patient. The decision is not to be made without respect for the interest of the patient.
The Catechism goes on to explain:
The key principle in this statement is that one does not will to cause death. When a person has an underlying terminal disease, or their heart, or some other organ, cannot work without mechanical assistance, or a therapy being proposed is dangerous, or has little chance of success, then not using that machine or that therapy results in the person dying from the disease or organ failure they already have. The omission allows nature to takes its course. It does not directly kill the person, even though it may contribute to the person dying earlier than if aggressive treatment had been done.
The person who asked this question also asked about the Church’s stance on organ donations for transplantation, therapy, medical research and medical education. The late Pope John Paul II wrote:
[T]he Gospel of life is to be celebrated above all in daily living,
which should be filled with self-giving love for others. …Over and above such
outstanding moments, there is an everyday heroism, made up of gestures of
sharing, big or small, which build up an authentic culture of life. A
particularly praiseworthy example of such gestures is the donation of organs,
performed in an ethically acceptable manner, with a view to offering a chance
of health and even of life itself to the sick who sometimes have no other hope
The late Holy
Father emphasizes that donations be performed in an ethically acceptable
manner. I cannot suppose all of the
various cases that this condition might cover.
If you have specific questions you should contact a priest or deacon who
can help you make your decision.
As always, I thank
this person for this question on such and extremely important and sensitive
topic. If you have any questions about
the Catholic Church, the sacraments, or related matters that you would like
answered please contact me in one of these ways: 1) place your question in an enveloped marked “Ask Deacon Mike”
and drop it in the collection basket or send it to the rectory office. 2)
Send me an e-mail at deaconmikefranks@comcast.net.
with your question. In all cases
whether you identify yourself or not I will keep your identify secret when I
publicly answer your question.
May God’s blessings
shower upon you and always remember that I love you all.
Deacon Mike Franks