Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia
Visit the To Live Each Day with Dignity page, featuring the the U.S. Bishops' Policy Statement on Assisted Suicide , as well as other resources! 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, Sixth Edition , USCCB, June 2018
Statement on Euthanasia , USCCB, Administrative Committee, September 12, 1991Statement 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 : Suicide and Assisted Suicide: The Role of Depression , June 1, 2017Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Beyond Terminal Illness , April 28, 2017Physician-Assisted Suicide: Threat to Improved Palliative Care , April 3, 2017Assisted Suicide Laws in Oregon and Washington: What Safeguards? , March 1, 2017
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 2012Hospice 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 2015On 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, 2015Cardinal O’Malley: New Vermont Assisted Suicide Law Reveals Slippery Slope , May 21, 2013Bishops 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
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