Suicide

[Erik]

This was one of the most powerful television programs I've yet seen. It's a PBS Frontline episode on Dignitas, the Swiss suicide hospital. There's much moral relativism in the episode, which I'm generally against (there's a statement), but sometimes I just don't know. Actually, oftentimes I just don't know.

Anyway, it's well worth the watch even if you disagree. Quite the tear-jerker.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... rist/view/

(You'll note that they never say "euthanasia" in the show)

[Joseph the Worker]

I've said this once, and I'll say it again. Part of the reason we have euthanasia and assisted suicide, (probably even birth control and abortion to some extent) is that we forget that human beings are supposed to experience suffering in some senses. When we forget the value of suffering, or we try to pretend like everything should be a pain free, happy life with no downsides, euthanasia suddenly becomes the humane or right choice. "How could God allow suffering in our lives?" "A just God would agree to being merciful to this person". So forth and so on, but we neglect to understand the underlying value and humanity of the person who is suffering by terminating them, much like we reject the humanity of the unborn when we abort them.

[Erik]

The case they follow, however, is one in which 1) He would be dead otherwise were it not for the various breathing devices and 2) He had a terminal disease and his paralysis was increasing by the day before it would eventually kill him in few months (he had Lou Gehrig's).

I just don't know how I feel about it. His attitude about life was so positive so I am by no means willing to say that he didn't value human life. I hope to God that I'm never put into this situation, or that if I am that I'd have a partner or friend of some sorts to be with me.

PBS Frontline is always an enlightening show.

[la bella vita]

That's a great insight, JTW. Definitely an interesting way to think about it.

Question for all of you: what does Catholicism teach about foregoing life saving or sustaining treatment (i.e. signing a DNR or taking someone off of a breathing machine)? Is that permissible?

[Joseph the Worker]

It's fairly complicated, and it has to do with how reasonable the treatment is, the real chance of success, the burden on the individual and their family, etc. etc. but tends to lean on the side that protecting life is always the best, unless in some sort of extreme circumstances (such as trying to save a person with extreme that medical science says has absolutely no chance of being saved and that has almost no chance of success). This explains it better than I can:

Directives

Catholic health care institutions offering care to persons in danger of death from illness, accident, advanced age, or similar condition should provide them with appropriate opportunities to prepare for death. Persons in danger of death should be provided with whatever information is necessary to help them understand their condition and have the opportunity to discuss their condition with their family members and care providers. They should also be offered the appropriate medical information that would make it possible to address the morally legitimate choices available to them. They should be provided the spiritual support as well as the opportunity to receive the sacraments in order to prepare well for death.

A person has a moral obligation to use ordinary or proportionate means of preserving his or her life. Proportionate means are those that in the judgment of the patient offer a reasonable hope of benefit and do not entail an excessive burden or impose excessive expense on the family or the community.40

A person may forgo extraordinary or disproportionate means of preserving life. Disproportionate means are those that in the patient's judgment do not offer a reasonable hope of benefit or entail an excessive burden, or impose excessive expense on the family or the community.41

There should be a presumption in favor of providing nutrition and hydration to all patients, including patients who require medically assisted nutrition and hydration, as long as this is of sufficient benefit to outweigh the burdens involved to the patient.

The free and informed judgment made by a competent adult patient concerning the use or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures should always be respected and normally complied with, unless it is contrary to Catholic moral teaching.

Euthanasia is an action or omission that of itself or by intention causes death in order to alleviate suffering. Catholic health care institutions may never condone or participate in euthanasia or assisted suicide in any way. Dying patients who request euthanasia should receive loving care, psychological and spiritual support, and appropriate remedies for pain and other symptoms so that they can live with dignity until the time of natural death.42

Patients should be kept as free of pain as possible so that they may die comfortably and with dignity, and in the place where they wish to die. Since a person has the right to prepare for his or her death while fully conscious, he or she should not be deprived of consciousness without a compelling reason. Medicines capable of alleviating or suppressing pain may be given to a dying person, even if this therapy may indirectly shorten the person's life so long as the intent is not to hasten death. Patients experiencing suffering that cannot be alleviated should be helped to appreciate the Christian understanding of redemptive suffering.

The determination of death should be made by the physician or competent medical authority in accordance with responsible and commonly accepted scientific criteria.

Catholic health care institutions should encourage and provide the means whereby those who wish to do so may arrange for the donation of their organs and bodily tissue, for ethically legitimate purposes, so that they may be used for donation and research after death.

Such organs should not be removed until it has been medically determined that the patient has died. In order to prevent any conflict of interest, the physician who determines death should not be a member of the transplant team.

use of tissue or organs from an infant may be permitted after death has been determined and with the informed consent of the parents or guardians.

Catholic health care institutions should not make use of human tissue obtained by direct abortions even for research and therapeutic purposes.43

[mllevaleur]

The case they follow, however, is one in which 1) He would be dead otherwise were it not for the various breathing devices

Then let him die a natural death. There's a big difference between accepting one's death and allowing it to progress, and actively ending one's life with an injection, etc. It's ok, for instance, for someone to decide they don't want to undergo chemo because they'd rather just live their last days without all the difficulties that come with it, and to accept that their death is coming and to wait for it. But that's the difference...they are waiting for it. They aren't bringing it on themselves.

2) He had a terminal disease and his paralysis was increasing by the day before it would eventually kill him in few months (he had Lou Gehrig's).

And? Isn't that the argument of every terminally ill person who argues for assisted suicide?

What all these people miss (because our whole society has forgetten) is that this suffering is an opportunity to grow in holiness. This suffering can be so valuable when accepted willingly and offered back to Christ. I've heard it said that suffering that we endure willingly on Earth is so much more powerful than any suffering we will endure in purgatory, much less is needed to repair for the same amount of sin because it is done willingly. It's as simple as this: the suffering we endure on Earth, if we accept it as our cross and offer it to God, is immensely valuable to our growth in holiness. When this startling truth is truly understood and appreciated, there should be no confusion about why assisted suicide is always and everywhere an offense to God. It is a rejection of an invaluable opportunity to offer ourselves to God in precisely the way God did for us to make redemptive suffering possible, it's nothing less than a rejection of the cross itself.

This statement from the man in question says it all:

So I've got death, and I've got suffering and death. You know, this [assisted suicide] makes a whole lot of sense to me.

It's exactly as Joseph said...the goal is all about avoiding suffering. And that's understandable, it's a natural human reaction to a scary diagnosis, but we are called to respond to such events, not merely in a natural human way, but in a supernatural way! Even Christ asked for the cup of suffering to pass from Him if possible...but in the end, we MUST say as He did, "But thy will be done" and accept that God knows better than we do what is good for us. We always need more opportunities for self-mortification and penance. In this way, the sufferings in our lives can be great opportunities for much-needed grace, and God knows better than any of us how much we need them.

I'd posit that anyone who does not clearly see the problem of assisted suicide, even...no, especially in cases of immense suffering, simply does not have an understanding of the value of redemptive suffering due to the Cross.

To see examples of people who do appreciate the value of redemptive suffering, one only need look to the saints. There is not a single saint who did not endure intense suffering in his lifetime.

In our lifetime, we need only look to our late Pope JPII. His last years were filled with the suffering of a debilitating disease...the way he endured it, though, was beyond inspiring. THAT is dignity in action. The idea that "dignity" means dying without suffering is a lie from the pit of Hell, because there is nothing so terrifying to Satan as someone enduring suffering and physical humility willingly and offering it back to God. It is something that bursts forth with holiness, one cannot help but become a living saint while accepting such things willingly, and Satan knows it. Convincing people to avoid suffering (whether through assisted suicide or any other way) is nothing less than convincing people to avoid potential holiness.

Interestingly enough, I've just in the past week or two heard on our Catholic radio here about a priest who recently found out he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's). His message is one of thanks to God for all His many gifts, and openness to God's work in his life, even through the suffering of his illness.

You can see a picture of him here, learn about his diagnosis here, and hear him on the radio archives here.

This is how we are called to respond to suffering, and we should be doing all we can to tell the world of the potential redemption it can offer because of Christ's sacrifice for us. Killing oneself to avoid suffering is like refusing a fountain of God's grace. Certainly most people who promote such things don't have any notion of that, which is exactly why it is of the utmost importance that we share this message with them and help them see the potential value there...it is the very message of the cross.

[Joseph the Worker]

Wow. Stephanie, I have a slight fear of flying. Seraphina and I are going to Hawaii tomorrow and will be on planes for the good part of 12 hours. While this has never stopped me, I've always thought, going down in a plane would be the worst thing ever, you would have several minutes to contemplate instant death. My fear has subsided a lot since becoming Catholic, although I did go to confession Saturday "just in case" . However, if I go down in the plane tomorrow, I'm going to do my best to remember this advice, say a perfect act of contrition, and die a peaceful death offering that up to God.

Anyhoo, hopefully I'll be posting something in Hawaii. If not, see you in Heaven and God Bless

PS: It's kind of funny that I was always scared of flying in the CoC when I thought God was very vengeful, and now I'm not afraid of flying because I trust in him (St. Faustina).

[mllevaleur]

A lot of my fears (I tend to be weirdly paranoid about some things, getting hurt, imagining awful scenarios, etc!) have subsided since becoming Catholic too. Since I've stopped having to rely on myself, and realized that I only have to rely on the grace of God to get through such things, it's much less scary to contemplate things that once terrified me. Even little things like getting a shot, or blood drawn, etc...I feel like I'm much better at handling the (relatively small) pain associated with them, just because of a belief in redemptive suffering.

Wow, have a great time in Hawaii, that's awesome!! (We always go to confession before plane rides "just in case" too. )

[Joseph the Worker]

Well, we made it 1/3 of the way. In Minneapolis now, getting ready to go to Seattle next.

[Marcus]

Just the word Suicide freaks me out so much that I can't even get myself to read this thread. Some of you may remember me say that my brother committed suicide. He was over his head in some pretty bad stuff and my father thought it might be a murder at first. But after dad returned from Miami he said that he now believed it really was suicide. Suicide hits way to close to home for me. I can't tell you how many times in my life I would have welcomed death over the pain I went through. But my faith in God is what kept me alive all of these years. If I ever really lost my faith in God I doubt I'd go on living much longer or turn to those things in life that many others in the world turn to to fill the hole in their chest.