St. Francis recognized that illness, suffering, and death were part of life. That we were all fallen from perfection – and that the real fear was the “second death” – dying in mortal sin.

USCCB – Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services - http://www.usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml

• The free and INFORMED judgment made by a COMPETENT adult patient should always be respected – UNLESS it goes against Catholic teaching. i.e. Euthanasia, suicide, “emergency” artificial birth control, sterilization, abortion
  
• Euthanasia – an action or omission that by itself or by it’s intent causes death
• Vs. Loving care, Psychological & Spiritual support, appropriate remedies for pain and symptoms so the patient can live with dignity until they die.
• GO FOR SPEECH – always keep in mind – will this treatment allow the patient to remain able to express their will? – They should not be completely deprived of consciousness, just because it makes us uncomfortable – there should be a COMEPELLING reason for inducing unconsciousness for any length of time
• Pain medications, even if they will shorten life, are OK as long as the INTENT is not to hasten death

The world forgets the POWER of Redemptive Suffering – suffering that cannot be alleviated should be taught – the Christian (Catholic) perspective of the massive spiritual benefits of suffering - By the sufferings in His human nature during His Passion on the Cross, by which mankind was redeemed, Christ gave to all the suffering experienced by humanity – that is by the members of His Mystical Body - a redeeming power when accepted and offered up in union with His Passion. As Pope John Paul II wrote: "In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus each man, in his sufferings, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ" (Salvifici Doloris).

Thus, in His immense mercy, He gives to human suffering a supernatural value. St. Paul was so filled with the idea of the redemptive power of suffering that he exclaimed: "I find joy in the sufferings I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His Body, the Church" (Col. 1:24). What St. Paul is saying that it is in the members of His Body that something is lacking (not in Christ - in us!). There is no grace that comes to any human that was not merited by Him. He had no need of any other in redeeming the human race. But Jesus willed that the mystery of His Passion continue on in us, so that we may be joined with Him in the work of redemption.

In carrying out the work of redemption Christ wishes to be helped by the members of His Body. (us!) This is a great gift, given to us, to be able to cooperate with this great grace, and to join our sufferings and even our daily indignities with those of Christ on the Cross.

The Cross was the instrument chosen by God for the redemption of mankind. That is why Our Savior refers to the hardships and fatigue and trials of daily life as the "crosses" that we must embrace if we are to be His disciples. Accepting them in union with the Passion of Christ gives them a redeeming power, a redeeming value, a share in the fruits of His Passion. The "cross" can include everything that goes against the grain, and that can be an endless list. To mention a few examples: physical pain, mental anguish, disappointments, depression, humiliations, delays, sickness, poverty, set-backs in business, loneliness, being misunderstood or falsely accused, hardships and fatigue of daily routine, sadness at death of family member or friend, the difficult sacrifices in fulfilling God’s commandments and the duties in our state in life, etc. All these entail suffering, and are part of the penalty of sin of our fallen nature.

We naturally try to eliminate all forms of suffering from our life, but insofar as they are beyond our power to control, they are part of God’s providence. God foresees them, allows them, and can bring good out of them if we trust in Him. Suffering in some form or other is the lot of every human, saint as well as sinner. But since our attitude toward them can make them profitable or unprofitable (even increase our misery), it is important to see them in the light of the Gospel, in the light of God’s providence. That is because suffering can get one down, or it can bring one closer to God. It can make one resentful and bitter - even blaming God for his lot, or it can make one more conscious of God’s providence at work. It can make one turn in on himself in self-pity, or it can help one to open out upon the world in apostolic and redemptive action.

That suffering is not something good in itself, is clear from the great number of Christian institutions (hospitals, sanitariums, etc.) established to alleviate human suffering. While the ills and hardships and setbacks of life can be instrumental in spiritual growth, in themselves they are something evil. Christians are not forbidden to seek the comforts of life, or to enjoy lawful amusements, or to seek remedies from pain. The Church does not glorify suffering for its own sake; but it does glorify God by the loving acceptance of suffering when the fulfillment of His will entails it.

In spite of Jesus’ willing acceptance of the Passion, and His insistence that His followers must embrace the "crosses" of life, His human nature shrank from pain just as ours does. We see that in the Garden of Gethsemane; yet He willingly accepted it when commanded by His heavenly Father. "I seek not my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (Jn.5:30). The same should be the goal of His followers. Those sincerely seeking to grow closer to Christ know that it must be by way of the cross. Each day brings many little opportunities to submit willingly to various kinds of self-giving that go against the grain. Like Christ, we too can pray in certain painful situations, "let this chalice pass from me" as long as we are willing to add "nevertheless, not my will but yours be done" (Lk. 22:42).

Life is a Gift: CCC2280 http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a5.htm

Taking one’s own life or assisting a person to take their own life is self-murder. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC-2280: Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.


Suffering at the Moment of Death

We all want to alleviate suffering. Need to balance Prudence and alleviation of pain with allowing grace to work in the person’s final moments. Being aware of the moment of death can have a special place in God’s plan of salvation for the person. If the person is too drugged out to know what’s happening, we can steal that moment away from them.

The person is not obliged to be a “hero” – they may (of course) forgo any extraordinary means of preserving life – if there is no reasonable hope of benefit, or it imposes an excessive burden or expense or the family or the group they are living with (such as a religious community). Or will discontinuing the technology really be euthanasia or “slow suicide” – watch for the “death mentality”.

“The intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being does not change – no matter what their concrete circumstances” Pope John Paul II

On Euthanasia

CCC-2278, 2279: 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. Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.

The true task of medicine is to cure if possible – always to care.
~ Pope John Paul II, 2004