There are many preparations needed when planning for the future. Below is a framework of Catholic thought when engaging medical decisions at life's end. For a financial perspective, please consult the outline of Brian Adorno, a CPA and Attorney at Law who regularly presents on behalf of the Catholic Foundation. Click for his "Will and Estate Planning Seminar" notes.
The end of the life of a loved one can be fraught with many tensions. While not eliminating the pain and sadness of such a loss, an understanding of the Church's teachings regarding "End of Life Issues" can help focus and ground certain decisions.
Life Has an Unalterable Dignity
From the dawn of creation, God has affirmed the existence of creation, particularly the life of the human person. This basic moral insight helps guide questions regarding the lives of those most vulnerable.
Redemptive Suffering
Human existence knows suffering -- mental, emotional, physical. The nearing of the end of one's life can bring this reality into full relief. While suffering can never be seen as a punishment from God, such situations can serve as opportunities to more deeply focus on one's spiritual life, revealing those elements of the human existence that are most important and perduring. When abilities are diminished, an individual still maintains the root of his or her dignity: creation in God's image and likeness.
Suffering also offers a tie our suffering savior. Though Jesus did not know the same mode or shape of the suffering many experience, he did know suffering. Therefore, he suffers alongside the believer, encouraging him or her to continue that connection to God. Further, offering that suffering for a noble intention can increase that tie to Jesus' redemption.
Obligatory vs. Optional Moral Means
Health care choices are moral choices, placing themselves within the basic moral framework of the Church. Obligatory -- or so-called ordinary means -- can never be omitted in patient care. Pope Pius XII defined these as "ordinary means -- according to the circumstances of persons, places, times, and cultures -- that do not involve any grave burden for oneself or another."
Ordinary moral means would offer a reasonable hope of benefit. This requires a patient to be fully informed on the nature of the procedure, its possible consequences and side effects, its likelihood of success.
Optional or extraordinary means are those beyond the ordinary variety, generally offering little hope or being unduly burdensome. They may be pursued but are not morally mandatory.
Without unusual exceptions, food and hydration would always be considered ordinary, be they orally or intravenously administered. The only exceptions to this would be cases in which neither could be readily assimilated into the body or feeding tubes create repeated infections.
Advanced Medical Directive & Health Care Proxy
With an understanding of the foregoing and one's desire based on optional means, an Advanced Medical Directive (or "living will") and Healthy Care Proxy (or "durable power of attorney") are important aids for End of Life decisions.
An Advanced Medical Directive should detail medical procedures desired to be received or avoided. The document should focus on general goals -- as exact circumstances at time can be unforeseen -- and in line with Church teachings.
A Health Care Proxy is a designated individual who would be tasked to make decisions for a patient who is no longer able to. The proxy should be familiar with the patient's desires and moral convictions. A proxy is never bound to act immorally for the patient, however, no matter the expressed desire of the dying.
Download an acceptable Catholic Advanced Medical Directive & Health Care Proxy document.
Euthanasia
"An action of omission which of itself and by intention causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all suffering."
With that Pope John Paul II defined euthanasia in Evangelium vitae. The desired intention and purpose here are key, as certain procedures that seek to offer comfort may indirectly hasten a patient's death but are not chosen for that reason
Resurrection
We are a resurrection people, knowing both the physical and spiritual nature of the human person. As such, the body is sacred and must be treated respectfully even after death.
Organ donation, therefore, is permissible and, in fact, even laudable. Care should be taken that the organs of the deceased be used for a proper medical purpose -- transplant or research -- and not be treated indiscriminately.
While the interment of a body is preferable, cremation is allowed by the Church, but the cremains of an individual should be interred in their entirety, treating them with the same care as a deceased body.
Please review our Funerals page for further liturgical planning.
For further End of Life questions, please consult the National Catholic Bioethic Center.