Three months after its approval, the law allowing euthanasia comes into force in Spain. What should a Catholic think about it?
Newsdesk (July 5, 2021, 12:50 PM, Gaudium Press) Recently, the government has legally approved euthanasia in Spain as a “medical solution,” but what about the moral issue? Is the existence of a severe and incurable illness, which appears to be constant and intolerable suffering for the patient, an adequate reason to provoke the death of another person?
What should a Catholic think about this?
Although the truth is obvious, people often forget or do not seek it. So, without referring to the great manuals of morals and ethics, we can find it within its simplicity.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “Whatever the motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in ending the life of disabled, sick or dying persons is morally unacceptable.
“Thus, an action or an omission, that by itself or with intent, causes death for the suppression of suffering, constitutes a murder. This is severely contrary to the dignity of the human person and the respect of God, his Creator. The error of judgment, into which one may have fallen in good faith, does not change the nature of the homicidal act, which must always be condemned and set aside” (CEC 2277).
However, to clarify an important detail: “The termination of medical treatment which is costly, dangerous, extraordinary or out of proportion to the expected results, may be legitimate. […] It is not that one intends to give death in this way; one merely accepts the fact that one cannot prevent it. The patient must make decisions if he has the competence and capacity to do so. Otherwise, they should be made by whoever has the legal rights, always respecting the will and the legitimate interests of the patient.” (CEC 2278)
Thus, although the law of Spain may have changed, the Divine Law never changes, so for faithful Catholics, such practice remains reprehensible and contrary to Church doctrine. After all, the truth will always remain, even when persecuted or suppressed.
By Aloísio de Carvalho
Compiled by Ena Alfaro