Assisted Suicide

 

Pastoral Message aired on KNXT-TV during May 2007

Bishop John T. Steinbock

 

My Dear People of God,

 

The culture of death continues to lift its ugly head in our country.  Once again, here in California there is a bill in process, Assembly Bill 274 that would legalize physician-assisted suicide, for those diagnosed as terminally ill.  The bill has the Orwellian and euphemistic name of the “California Compassionate Choices Act.”

 

Again we have another direct attack in our society against the sanctity of life, which would lead doctors not to be healers and nurturers of life, but empower them to write a prescription, in the words of the Bill, for “medication that would assure peaceful dying.”  

 

The supporters of the Bill refer to Oregon’s assisted suicide law, but are remiss to tell us that an Assisted Suicide Advocacy group promotes most of the suicides in the State, and that HMO’s in Oregon are facilitating assisted suicides as a means for controlling the costs of medical care, and that the State pays for assisted suicide drugs for the poor, but not for drugs that are so often needed and wanted for maintaining quality of life.

 

There are some in our society who say that the elderly have a “duty to die,” and would promote assisted suicide, not simply for the terminally ill, but for all the elderly and disabled, for economic reasons.  This mentality can easily pressure people to choose suicide for the sake of others, especially at the vulnerable times of depression in their lives.

 

The bottom line in all of this is that life is sacred.  Each and every one of us has inherent value because we are made in the image and likeness of God.  Assisted Suicide is saying that some people’s lives are not worth living.  We are called to value human life and nurture human life, not destroy it.  Fortunately all of the Assembly men and women, both Republican and Democratic, in what comprises the Diocese of Fresno have spoken against this Bill.  You might write them and thank them for their support of the dignity of human life in their speaking out against Bill 274.  This Bill is still in process and has yet to come before the Assembly.

 

Pray that our legislators are led to protect human life, not destroy it.   Let us pray for our society, for our leaders, and especially for the most vulnerable amongst us in relation to this Bill:  the elderly, the poor, the depressed, the dying, and for all those who would be misdiagnosed as terminally ill, and for those without a supporting and loving family.  And let us also give thanks and pray for all of those in hospice work who minister to the sick and dying.  Their ministry speaks of God’s great love for us right to death itself.

 

I ask God’s blessings upon all of you and your families.