Christians dedicated to caring for the dying

Re: “We dote on animals as humans die in pain,” column, April 1.

I’m not sure which is more insulting, the mocking and malicious slurs against Christian medical practitioners of palliative care, or the fact the

Times Colonist published the doctor’s familiar and increasingly pernicious diatribe on Easter Sunday, the holiest day of the year for over a quarter of humanity.

Am I the only one offended? Many Christians and others have devoted their lives to caring for the dying, relieving their suffering and abiding by an ethic of neither prolonging life nor hastening death.

The Christian message of Jesus’ death and resurrection, after a life of exemplary, selfless teaching and extraordinary healing, has influenced a civilization of medical compassion through establishing medical and nursing schools, the universities that founded them, hospitals, healing missions and clinics to care for the poor.

The modern palliative-care movement was established by Anglican Christian Dame Cicely Saunders after observing Irish Catholic sisters caring for the dying. Christians such as Baptist pastor and politician Tommy Douglas have provided Canada with its Medicare system, by which undoubtedly Dr. W. GiffordJones has benefited.

The recent legal acceptance of medical intervention in hastening death, reversing a historic tradition of protecting patients and the vulnerable from intentional killing has left many in legal, moral and spiritual distress, and Gifford-Jones’ bullying hardly helps.

A happy Easter to all! Fr. Dean Henderson UVic/Camosun Catholic Chaplain St. Rose of Lima Sooke Pastor