Three bills in New York State, one in the Senate and two in the Assembly, if passed, would allow physicians to prescribe medication in doses lethal enough to end a patient’s life. Senator Diane Savino and Assemblywomen Amy Paulin and Linda Rosenthal are looking to add this new section the public health law.

With the notoriety of Brittany Maynard, the young California woman diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, physician-assisted suicide and “death-with-dignity” have been the subject of much debate. Maynard moved to Oregon where, under the law, she was allowed to end her life with the help of legally-prescribed medications.

In New York State, with the proposed bills from Savino, Paulin and Rosenthal, the Catholic Conference recently explained its opposition.

Legalizing physician-assisted suicide would blur longstanding medical, moral and legal distinctions between withdrawing extraordinary medical assistance and taking active steps to destroy human life. One lets people die a natural death; the other is the deliberate and direct act of hastening death.

It also undermines the physician’s role as healer, forever alters the doctor-patient relationship, and lessens the quality of care provided to patients at the end of life. Patients are best served when medical professionals, together with families and loved ones, provide support and care with dignity and respect, not lethal doses of drugs.

The American Medical Association holds a policy position against physician-assisted suicide, which they say is “fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role” and would be “difficult or impossible to control.”

Happy Lent

At some point every family must deal with issues involving end of life care for a loved one. As Catholics attempt to navigate the myriad medical, ethical, and religious questions that arise, all the while dealing with the grief of an impending death, it can become overwhelming.

In an effort to offer assistance, the New York State Catholic Conference has produced a high definition video and a brand new website (www.catholicendoflife.org) entitled "Now and at the Hour of Our Death" that tackles many of the common questions and concerns, offers clarity and compassion, and serves as an education resource for Catholics nationwide.

“Catholic Church teachings regarding the end of life are not black and white; rather they are shades of gray,” said Kathleen M. Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference “There is no one-size-fits-all response. Each case is different. What the video and website attempt to do is, not so much give answers, but help Catholics to ask the right questions.”

Funded by a $25,000 grant from "Our Sunday Visitor," the website and video grew out of a booklet produced by the Conference, also titled "Now and at the Hour of Our Death."

“The demand for the booklet is unlike anything we have ever produced at the Conference,” Mrs. Gallagher said. “We knew there was a need to be met, but did not fully grasp how great that need was until we saw the reaction to the booklet. And when we looked around the country, we realized that the resources didn’t exist in any one place. Thankfully "Our Sunday Visitor" saw the same need, and so generously provided the necessary funding for this new project.

Catholics line up to receive ashes at the 12:05 p.m. Mass today at St. Joseph Cathedral.  Father Peter J. Drilling (above),  cathedral rector, distributed ashes along with Bishop Richard J. Malone and Msgr. David S. Slubecky.