Pope John Paul II annoucement

[Redheat]

Thursday, April 29, 2004
Pope John Paul II says Catholic hospitals are obligated to provide food and nutrition for patients in persistent vegetative states. The comments, made before a meeting of Catholic medical associations, have drawn controversy. We discuss how an apparent philosophical shift has left the Catholic health care community unsure of how to respond.

http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/

Sorry, all I could find but more on the audio.


From what I gathered the Catholic Church's intent is to disallow all pulling of the plugs even if the patient has a living will. Most Hospitals will abide by the living wills for now, but they will be under the control of the area Bishops. So if a bishop is very conservative they could very well prevent Doctors from abiding by the patients living will.

First would this hold up in court? If you have a living will it's a legal document that is expressing your wishes. Should the Church have final say over what you have said you wanted to happen?

Second, what gives the Church the right to interfer with someones right not to live in a vegatative state? If you believe it's God's will, fact is that it isn't God's will keeping the person alive it's medicine. If the tools weren't there for the patient to breath by they would die.

So in a way the Pope is taking on the role of God by preventing someone to die which would be God's will since they would not live on their own.

Plus it's hard to see how the Church can stand on the principle of sanctity life when they have for thousands of years snuffed out life, and in the past 50 years or so ignored and covered-up the actions which took away thousands of childrens quality of life.

[Djj1973]

Yeah this is a tough one. I do not think the Catholic Church will win this one. Because there is no such thing as a private hospital in this country, they are subject to Federal Regulations. If I am hit by a car and rushed to a Catholic hospital they are required by law to treat me. They are therefore required to respect my wishes.

[cpwill]

this (like the ruling on contraception) will likely become american catholic policy in name only.

[mataj]

this (like the ruling on contraception) will likely become american catholic policy in name only.Normal hypocrisy: Do what I say, don't do what I do.
Catholic hypocrisy: Say what I say, and I won't care what you do.

[Redheat]

What you have to wonder is how many families will suffer financially and emotionally from keeping someone alive based solely on the premise that it's what the Pope said.

[ranger]

From what I gathered the Catholic Church's intent is to disallow all pulling of the plugs even if the patient has a living will.I think this statement is an over reaction.

"John Paul said removing feeding tubes from people in persistent vegetative states was immoral, and that no judgment on their quality of life could justify such "euthanasia by omission."
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/04/28/special_reports/religion/20_09_504_28_04.txt

You cannot call feeding a sick person "extraordinary means" and this position is in keeping with the Church's teaching on the sanctity of life. Apparently no mention was made to respirators or other mechanical devices. In the search for truth would it be truthful to say "the Catholic Church's intent is to disallow all pulling of the plugs"?

[Redheat]

I think this statement is an over reaction.

"John Paul said removing feeding tubes from people in persistent vegetative states was immoral, and that no judgment on their quality of life could justify such "euthanasia by omission."
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/04/28/special_reports/religion/20_09_504_28_04.txt

You cannot call feeding a sick person "extraordinary means" and this position is in keeping with the Church's teaching on the sanctity of life. Apparently no mention was made to respirators or other mechanical devices. In the search for truth would it be truthful to say "the Catholic Church's intent is to disallow all pulling of the plugs"?

I was going by the comments made by those involved in the report. Like I said more on the audio portion. I think the fear is that the Bishops who will control the Hospitals will make living wills moot. So no judgment could include theres could it not? Who's judgment were they referring to?

Again if God's will is that these people are to die, then how is keeping them alive by articfical means NOT going against the will of God? If God wanted them to live then they would do so without the feeding tubes and breathing machines. So who's playing God? The pope? or the people who choose for themselves and others whether to live in that state or not?

[Viking]

What you have to wonder is how many families will suffer financially and emotionally from keeping someone alive based solely on the premise that it's what the Pope said.


Well emotion aside, being raised roman catholic I want the vatican to pay for the bill if that person is being kept alive via respirator if that is their decision. You want it, you pay for it.

[Aletheia]

Normal hypocrisy: Do what I say, don't do what I do.
Catholic hypocrisy: Say what I say, and I won't care what you do.
:rofl: I love your humor :rofl: