Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia

Church Documents and Teachings

Fact Sheets

Articles and Publications

Columns and Commentary

Legal Briefs

Testimony and Letters

News Releases and Statements

New! - Assisted Suicide Videos

Watch Maggie, Jeanette & John tell their stories of why they oppose assisted suicide.

Church Documents and Teachings

• Responses to Certain Questions Concerning Artificial Nutrition and Hydration, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, August 1, 2007 (en español)
• Commentary on Nutrition and Hydration, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, August 1, 2007 (en español)
• Address of John Paul II to the Participants in the International Congress on Life-Sustaining Treatments and the Vegetative State, March 20, 2004 (en español)
• Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, Fifth Edition, USCCB, November 17, 2009
• Statement on Euthanasia, USCCB, Administrative Committee, September 12, 1991
• Statement on Uniform Rights of the Terminally Ill Act, NCCB, 1986
  
• Guidelines for Legislation on Life-Sustaining Treatment, NCCB, 1984
  
• Declaration on Euthanasia, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, May 5, 1980 (en español)

Fact Sheets

• Updated Fact Sheet: Assisted Suicide Laws in Oregon and Washington: What Safeguards?, February 11, 2016
  
• Suicide and Assisted Suicide: The Role of Depression, May 18, 2011
• Q & A on Nutrition and Hydration for Patients in a "Vegetative State", September, 2007
• "Pain Relief Promotion Act of 2000"
• The U.S. Supreme Court's 1997 Decisions on Assisted Suicide, June 13, 1998
• Assisted Suicide: What is at Stake?, May 19, 1998
• DEA and Assisted Suicide, 1998

Articles and Publications

• Life Matters: Doctor-Assisted Death, by William L. Toffler, MD, 2012 (en español)
• Life Matters: To the End of Our Days, 2011 (en español)
  
• Caring for Each Other, Even Unto Death, by Marie T. Hilliard, PhD, 2010 (en español)
• Assisted Suicide: Death by “Choice”?, by Rita Marker, Esq., 2009 (en español)
• John Paul II: Dying with Dignity, by Rev. J. Daniel Mindling, O.F.M. Cap., 2005 (en español)
• Human Dignity in the 'Vegetative' State, by Richard Doerflinger, 2004 (en español)
• Physician-assisted Suicide: The Wrong Approach to End of Life Care, by F. Michael Gloth, III, M.D., 2003 (en español)
• Hope for the Journey: Meaningful Support for the Terminally Ill, by Kathy Kalina, RN, CRNH, 2001 (en español)
• False Freedom and the Culture of Death, by Richard Doerflinger, 2000 (en español)
• Dying Well, Assisted Suicide, and the Law, by Cathleen Kavney, 1999 (en español)
• Killing the Pain, Not the Patient, by Richard Doerflinger and Carlos F. Gomez, M.D., 1998
• The Quality of Life: Who's the Judge?, by Richard Doerflinger,1996

Columns and Commentary

• Dependent, by Aaron Matthew Weldon, Life Issues Forum, March 13, 2015 (en español)
  
• "Together We Survive", by Tom Grenchik, Life Issues Forum, February 13, 2015 (en español)
  
• The Public Relations of Death, by Richard Doerflinger, Life Issues Forum, January 16, 2015 (en español)
  
• Are We Not Dying Fast Enough? by Tom Grenchik, Life Issues Forum, August 29, 2014 (en español)
  
• Cardinal O'Malley's Remarks on the Defeated Massachusetts Ballot Initiative - USCCB General Assembly, November 2012
  
• Hospice for Pets—Suicide for People?, by Mary McClusky, May 13, 2011 (en español)
• Hope: A Vital Force More Powerful Than Death, by Kimberly Baker, Life Issues Forum, October 29, 2010 (en español)
  
• Health Care Reform and a Dispute About Dying, by Richard Doerflinger, August 21, 2009 (en español)
• The Price of Life, by Mary J, McClusky, Life Issues Forum, August 8, 2008
• Using "States' Rights" to Do Wrong, by Richard Doerflinger, Life Issues Forum, October 7, 2005
• Terri Schiavo and the Echoes of Abortion, by Cathy Cleaver Ruse, Life Issues Forum, March 31, 2005
• Pope's Speech is About Human Dignity, by Richard Doerflinger, Life Issues Forum, April 8, 2004
• The Life You Save May Be Your Own, by Susan E. Wills, Life Issues Forum, February 22, 2008
• Caring for Grandma Helen, by Mary E. Jaminet, Life Issues Forum, February 8, 2008
• Seeing People as God sees Them, by Tom Grenchik, Life Issues Forum, October 5, 2007

Legal Briefs

• Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, et al. v. State of Oregon, et al. May 9, 2005
  
• State of Oregon, et al., v. John Ashcroft, September 30, 2002, (from the Office of General Counsel)
• Nancy Beth Cruzan, et al. v. Director of Missouri Department of Health, et al. October, 1989

Testimony and Letters

• Comments on Advance Care Planning in Medicare Program, September 2015
  
• On the Pain Relief Promotion Act, Letter to Senate, Richard M. Doerflinger, November 3, 2000
• Pain Relief Promotion Act, Letter to Senate, Gail Quinn, October 4, 2000
• On Pain Relief Promotion Act of 2000, Testimony to Senate Judiciary Committee, April 25, 2000
• Urgently Needed Legislation on the Pain Relief Promotion Act, Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee, Cardinal Keeler, April 5, 2000
• Urging Senate Support of the Pain Relief Promotion Act, Letter to Senate, Cardinal Keeler, November 5, 1999
• On the Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999, Statement of USCCB, Cardinal Keeler, June 17, 1999
• On Lethal Drug Abuse Prevention Act, Letter to Congress, Rev. Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr, June 12, 1998
• U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Assisted Suicide, Statement of USCCB, Cardinal Bernard Law, June 26, 1997
• Ethical, Legal and Social Issues of Assisted Suicide, Testimony to House Commerce Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, Cardinal Bernard Law, March 6, 1997
• The Treatment of Infants Born with Handicapping Conditions, Statement to the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Select Education, Rev. Edward Bryce, October 1982

News Releases and Statements

• USCCB Comments On Medicare's Proposed Rule On Advance Care Planning, September 4, 2015
  
• Cardinal O’Malley: New Vermont Assisted Suicide Law Reveals Slippery Slope, May 21, 2013
  
• Bishops Approve Items on Marriage, Reproductive Technologies, Medically Assisted Nutrition And Hydration, November 18, 2009
• Cardinal Keeler Mourns Tragic Death of Terri Schiavo, March 31, 2005
• In Newsday Op-Ed, Bishops' Official Says Terri Schiavo Deserves Nourishment and Care, March 24, 2005
• Cardinal Keeler Says Terri Schiavo Deserves Basic Care, March 24, 2005
• Bishops' Official Thanks Congress And The President For Giving Terri Schiavo A Chance To Live, March 21, 2005
• Bishops' Official Applauds Justice Department Appeal of Oregon Assisted Suicide Case, November 10, 2004
• Bishops' Official Criticizes 9th Circuit Approval of Assisted Suicide in Oregon, May, 27, 2004
• Comments on Oregon's Third Year of Physician-Assisted Suicide, February 21, 2001
• Statement on Attorney General's Decision on the use of Federally Regulated Drugs for Assisted Suicide, June 5, 1998
• Statement on Oregon's First Physician-Assisted Suicide (1998),  March 27, 1998
• Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Rulings on Assisted Suicide, June 26, 1997
• Pro-Life Committee Backs New Rule on Treating Handicapped,  April 7, 1983