The culture of death is increasingly prevalent in today’s society and around the world. It can be seen in the lack of respect and dignity shown for preborn babies, for the sick, and for the dying. But this need not be the case. For those who do not have voices, we must speak. For those who do have voices, we must augment them so they are heard. Life is precious. Life is a gift. It is not for us to take away from anyone.
Some say ignorance is bliss, but when it comes to your health, ignorance can be a death sentence. With the changes in the medical community and its policies, this is certainly no time to plead ignorance. We must educate ourselves, our aging parents, and our families as to our wishes and to Church teaching. Today’s commentary will help us along this path.
It’s normal to want to trust your doctor’s advice, to heed his every word when it comes to your own care, or the care of a loved one. You know he has taken the Hippocratic Oath and you believe he has your best interests at heart. But is that always the case? What happens when you have a serious or terminal illness? Will he still give you the care that everyone deserves? When it comes to POLST forms, education is key.
We’ve all heard the “quality of life” argument applied to everything from an excuse for abortion to the reason posited to justify assisted suicide or some other form of euthanasia.
By Camille Giglio
California, a state with an aging population, falling birth rates, and rising welfare rolls, now has a super majority of Democrats in the state legislature with a Democrat as governor.
With the passage of each year it appears that more and more Americans are being served a platter of nuanced messages regarding how one is to care for a dying loved one.
I invite you to read this sermon by Bishop Clemens August Count von Galen delivered exactly seventy-one years and one day ago.
The Wisconsin bishops then instruct their flock, “Due to the serious and real threats to the dignity of human life that POLST and all similar documents present, we encourage all Catholics to avoid using all such documents, programs, and materials.
Wisconsin Catholic Conference of Bishops Upholds the Sacredness of Each Human Being’s Life by Condemning the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
There never has been another Tigger. And just as the wonderful thing about Tigger is that he was the only one, the wonderful thing about ethics is that there should only be one standard.
The recess appointment by President Obama of Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the most recent point of controversy regarding the style with which the president conducts this nation from his office.
We now have a new card game to play in 2012—a frightening game called “Go Wish.”