Euthanasia and the Catholic Church

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Catholic Church feels strongly that nothing and no one is allowed to kill an innocent human being, whether it be a fetus, embryo, infant, adult older person or a person who is suffering from an incurable disease. It discusses how the Church also feels strongly that one cannot ask for help in this killing for himself or for another, nor can person consent to the killing. It further explains how and why the Church does not recognize the authority of any other person to legitimately recommend or permit such an action. In light of these limitations, the paper explores the Catholic Church's view on euthanasia.

From the Paper:

"Supporters of euthanasia often discuss the feelings of the patient. The Church believes that in these cases the feelings of the patient may be evidence of spiritual loss and demand for relief from pain and suffering. This is then the responsibility of the physician, who has the duty to care for the patient but is not felt to have the power of life or death over the patient. Limits of physicians power are stated clearing in the Hippocratic Oath in which it is stated, "I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel"; the same commitment in defense of life and against death was reasserted also in the Code of Medical Deontology - adopted by the Italian Medical Association on June 24, 1995 -" The physician, even if requested by the patient, should not use any treatment aiming to reduce his psychical or physical integrity, hastening or causing his death."

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