Euthanasia is a sin
I would like to respond to the Feb. 7 column, “Another year of unnecessary suffering,” by Russell Wangersky.
United States Judge Robert H. Bork says, “A culture war is taking place in Canada in which the courts are attempting unashamedly to re-shape Canada to suit the vision of its appointed unaccountable judges.”
Salvation comes after death to repentant sinners. Euthanasia, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, is a great evil. Judges or the secular state will not decide on the salvation of any soul.
Pope Benedict, some time ago, spoke of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion as an essential part of his mission of salvation.
The Pope reminded the faithful that the cross of Christ will be the demons’ ruin and that is why Jesus does not cease to teach his disciples that in order to enter into his glory he must suffer much, be rejected, condemned and crucified. Suffering is an integral part of his mission.
According to the Catholic Church’s teaching, no one can make an attempt on the life of an innocent person without opposing God’s love for that person, without violating the fundamental right and therefore without committing a crime of the utmost gravity. Everyone has a duty to lead his or her life in accordance with God’s plan. That life is entrusted to the individual as a good that must bear fruit already here on Earth, but finds its full perfection only in eternal life.
Intentionally causing one’s own death or suicide is therefore equally as wrong as murder. Such an action on the part of a person is to be considered as a rejection of God’s sovereignty and loving plan.
Furthermore, suicide is also often a refusal of love for self, the denial of our natural instinct to live.
Mother Teresa repeatedly said, “Death with dignity is to die with grace.” Her formula was to make the person happy — to create an atmosphere of God’s presence in the individual surroundings.
This short, Earthly life is not an absolute. The next life is destined from eternity to eternity — this is the absolute. The way we live this Earthly life will determine whether we enjoy eternal happiness or eternal suffering.
Catholic teaching condemns euthanasia as “a crime against life” and “a crime against God.”
The church has repeated its opposition to euthanasia for 2,000 years. The second Vatican council condemned all offences against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia and wilful suicide.
A Catholic, to remain in good standing with the church, must not compromise his or her faith by embracing any of the above evils. The push for mercy killing is utterly pagan.
Peter Kreeft, the well-known philosopher, says, “a new paganism is the virtue of divinization of man, the religion of man as the new god.”
The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, “all atheists believe in God, but the god is themselves.”
Intentionally causing one’s own death or suicide is therefore equally as wrong as murder. Such an action on the part of a person is to be considered as a rejection of God’s sovereignty and loving plan.
George McIsaac St. John’s