The Witness of the Good Samaritan: Palliative Care and Hospice

In 2020, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released the letter Samaritanus bonus, “on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life.” The letter reaffirms the Church’s teaching on care for those who are critically ill or dying and offers additional pastoral guidance for increasingly complex situations at the end of life. This document offers a brief overview of key points from this important document with a specific focus on what it says about palliative care and hospice.

(English, PDF) Handout
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(Spanish, PDF) Handout
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