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True compassion always respects God's gift of life
On Friday, 12 November [2004], in the Paul VI Auditorium, the Holy
Father spoke to participants in the 19th International Conference of the
Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care. The Pope focused on the
problem of suffering and the importance of alleviating pain, but made it
quite clear that "all forms of euthanasia" must be avoided. When
"proportionate and effective treatment is no longer possible", he noted,
it is necessary "to avoid every kind of persistent or aggressive
treatment" and instead have recourse to "methods of 'palliative care'".
The following is a translation of the Holy Father's Address, which was
given in Italian.
Your Eminence,
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. I am pleased to welcome you on the occasion of the
International Conference of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral
Care which is taking place at this time. With your visit, you have
wished to reaffirm your scientific and human commitment to those who are
suffering.
I thank Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan for his courteous words on
behalf of you all. My grateful thoughts and appreciation go to everyone
who has made a contribution to these sessions, as well as to the doctors
and health-care workers throughout the world who dedicate their
scientific and human skills and their spirituality to relieving pain and
its consequences.
Medicine, at the service of life and the alleviation of suffering
2. Medicine is always at the service of life. Even when medical
treatment is unable to defeat a serious pathology, all its possibilities
are directed to the alleviation of suffering. Working enthusiastically
to help the patient in every situation means being aware of the
inalienable dignity of every human being, even in the extreme conditions
of terminal illness. Christians recognize this devotion as a fundamental
dimension of their vocation: indeed, in carrying out this task they know
that they are caring for Christ himself (cf. Mt 25:35-40).
"It is therefore through Christ, and in Christ, that light is thrown
on the riddle of suffering and death which, apart from his Gospel,
overwhelms us", the Council recalls (Gaudium et Spes, n. 22).
Those who open themselves to this light in faith find comfort in their
own suffering and acquire the ability to alleviate that of others.
Indeed, there is a directly proportional relationship between the
ability to suffer and the ability to help those who are suffering.
Daily experience teaches that the persons most sensitive to the
suffering of others and who are the most dedicated to alleviating the
suffering of others are also more disposed to accept, with God's help,
their own suffering.
Human dignity does not depend on age or health
3. Love of neighbour, which Jesus vividly portrayed in the Parable of
the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:2ff.), enables us to recognize the
dignity of every person, even when illness has become a burden.
Suffering, old age, a comatose state or the imminence of death in no way
diminish the intrinsic dignity of the person created in God's image.
Euthanasia is one of those tragedies caused by an ethic that
claims to dictate who should live and who should die. Even if it is
motivated by sentiments of a misconstrued compassion or of a
misunderstood preservation of dignity, euthanasia actually eliminates
the person instead of relieving the individual of suffering.
Unless compassion is combined with the desire to tackle suffering and
support those who are afflicted, it leads to the cancellation of life in
order to eliminate pain, thereby distorting the ethical status of
medical science.
Refusal of aggressive treatment is not a rejection of the patient
4. True compassion, on the contrary, encourages every reasonable
effort for the patient's recovery. At the same time, it helps draw the
line when it is clear that no further treatment will serve this purpose.
The refusal of aggressive treatment is neither a rejection of
the patient nor of his or her life. Indeed, the object of the decision
on whether to begin or to continue a treatment has nothing to do with
the value of the patient's life, but rather with whether such medical
intervention is beneficial for the patient.
The possible decision either not to start or to halt a treatment will
be deemed ethically correct if the treatment is ineffective or obviously
disproportionate to the aims of sustaining life or recovering health.
Consequently, the decision to forego aggressive treatment
is an expression of the respect that is due to the patient at every
moment.
It is precisely this sense of loving respect that will help support
patients to the very end. Every possible act and attention should be
brought into play to lessen their suffering in the last part of their
earthly existence and to encourage a life as peaceful as possible, which
will dispose them to prepare their souls for the encounter with the
heavenly Father.
Making suffering bearable without recourse to euthanasia
5. Particularly in the stages of illness when proportionate and
effective treatment is no longer possible, while it is necessary to
avoid every kind of persistent or aggressive treatment, methods of
"palliative care" are required. As the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae
affirms, they must "seek to make suffering more bearable in the final
stages of illness and to ensure that the patient is supported and
accompanied in his or her ordeal" (n. 65).
In fact, palliative care aims, especially in the case of patients
with terminal diseases, at alleviating a vast gamut of symptoms of
physical, psychological and mental suffering; hence, it requires the
intervention of a team of specialists with medical, psychological and
religious qualifications who will work together to support the patient
in critical stages.
The Encyclical Evangelium Vitae in particular sums up the
traditional teaching on the licit use of pain killers that are sometimes
called for, with respect for the freedom of patients who should be able,
as far as possible, "to satisfy their moral and family duties, and above
all... to prepare in a fully conscious way for their definitive meeting
with God" (n. 65).
Moreover, while patients in need of pain killers should not be made to
forego the relief that they can bring, the dose should be effectively
proportionate to the intensity of their pain and its treatment. All
forms of euthanasia that would result from the administration of massive
doses of a sedative for the purpose of causing death must be avoided.
To provide this help in its different forms, it is necessary td
encourage the training of specialists in palliative care at special
teaching institutes where psychologists and health-care workers can also
be involved.
Hospital chaplaincies play a lead role in health pastoral care
6. Science and technology, however, will never be able to provide a
satisfactory response to the essential questions of the human heart;
these are questions that faith alone can answer. The Church intends to
continue making her own specific contribution, offering human and
spiritual support to sick people who want to open themselves to the
message of the love of God, who is ever attentive to the tears of those
who turn to him (cf. Ps 39:13). Here, emphasis is placed on the
importance of health pastoral care in which hospital chaplaincies
have a special role and contribute so much to people's spiritual
well-being during their hospital stay.
Then how can we forget the precious contribution of volunteers, who
through their service give life to that creativity in charity
which imbues hope, even in the unpleasant experience of suffering?
Moreover, it is through them that Jesus can continue today to exist
among men and women, doing good and healing them (cf. Acts 10:38).
7. Thus, the Church makes her own contribution to this moving mission
for the benefit of the suffering. May the Lord deign to enlighten all
who are close to the sick and encourage them to persevere in their
different roles and various responsibilities.
May Mary, Mother of Christ, accompany everyone in the difficult
moments of pain and illness, so that human suffering may be raised to
the saving mystery of the Cross of Christ.
I accompany these hopes with my Blessing.
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