FAITH HOME |
Teachings
![]() |
Catholic
Q&A ![]() |
Devotions
![]() |
Bulletin
Board ![]() |
Prayer
Intention Cards ![]() |
EWTNKids |
EWTN Mini Sites
![]() |
Traditional Mass Resources |
Saints |
Post a question to any of our Catholic experts |
Search previously asked questions |
Faith FAQs |
Ask a new question |
Our Catholic experts |
----------
Forums ---------- ![]() |
Post a request for the prayers of others or an announcement of an upcoming Catholic event. |
Read Prayer Requests |
Read Event Announcements |
Post a New Item |
Pontificate of John Paul II |
Great Jubilee |
John Paul II In The Americas |
Papal Visit to the Holy Land |
Papal Visit to Cuba |
World Youth Day 2000 in Rome |
Holy Father With Families |
A sampling of books written by Mother Angelica. |
Fruits of His Love |
His Pain Like Mine |
In His Sandals |
Jesus Needs Me |
Living the Way Of The Cross |
Marriage |
My Life In The Rosary |
Spiritual Hangovers |
The Promised Woman |
TELEVISION HOME | Channel Finder |
EWTN
Prime ![]() |
Program Schedules |
Television Specials |
Television Series |
Live TV |
NEWS HOME |
Headlines |
The World Over |
Seen & Unseen |
Joan's Rome |
Power & Witness |
A Catholic Journalist in London |
EWTN Live |
Mother Angelica Classics |
Life on the Rock |
The Journey Home |
The World Over |
Sunday Night Prime |
RADIO HOME |
Program Schedule |
Stations
![]() |
Listen Live |
Open Line |
SW Frequency Guide |
Listening Advice |
SW Monitoring Form |
PILGRIMAGES HOME |
OLAM Shrine |
Eucharistic Pilgrimages |
Welcome |
Pilgrimage Schedule |
Live Show Tickets |
Lodging |
Maps |
Essentials |
Picture Gallery |
GENERAL INFO HOME |
Search
![]() |
What's New |
Site Map |
Donations |
To Volunteer |
Email Addresses |
Mailing Lists |
Press Releases |
Mother Angelica Update |
Frequently Asked Questions |
++ Home Page ++ |
Link to EWTN |
|
||||||||
Dear Judie, My question is about those sustained on life support that are declared "brain dead". When someone suffers a serious trauma and are put on life support and doctors later declare the person "brain dead" with no hope of recovery, is it morally acceptable for the family to discontinue a ventilator but maintain artificial food and hydration? Or must the family morally continue the ventilator in addition to a feeding tube and hydration? I know that food and water are ordinary care in such a scenario, but would the ventilator be ordinary or extraordinary care for a person declared "brain dead"? Can the family morally remove the ventilator and see if the person can breathe on their own in which case if they do not then they will pass away? |
||||||||
Answer by Judie Brown on 11/24/2012: | ||||||||
Theo American Life League has published an article on the use of the ventilator when caring for
"brain dead" patients. You can find it on line at
http://www.all.org/nav/index/heading/OQ/cat/MjA2/id/MjU4Ng/ In the article, the author, Paul Byrne, MD, states "Some medical conditions necessitate ventilator support for a short time; others for extended,
perhaps indefinite, periods. It is important to understand that use of the ventilator itself is an
aid to the patient. Life is protected and preserved with the aid of the ventilator. While the
patient may need help adjusting his or her life to such necessary medical treatment, it would
not be morally permissible to foreclose or discontinue ventilator support because the patient's
life is considered no longer worth living." |
||||||||
|
|