Abstract
This paper will discuss the Catholic teachings about the living will. A living will enables an ailing individual to offer guidelines regarding medical and health care they wish to get in the days to come. When in line with the Catholic teachings, it is considered an efficient tool that can be used in evangelism. A living will that is truly Catholic addresses five major principles in line with the Catholic beliefs (Morrow, 2013). They include: Desire to alleviate pain, evaluating treatment options to determine the ones that are either ordinary or extra ordinary, ensuring hydration or proper nutrition, prevents euthanasia and giving of spiritual care (Morrow, 2013). The Catholic living will is not only customized to an individual and focus on the patient, but also prevents any risks of leading a secular life which can refuse an individual appropriate care at the end of life.
Catholic Living Will
Introduction
The living will is a directive that enables individuals to offer directives and guidelines on the medical related care they wish to be given in the days to come. The directives given are activated only when an individual is incapacitated. At this point, he/she is not able to speak for him/herself. According to the National Catholic Bioethics Center, such a document gives surrogates the authority and mandate to make decisions on behalf of a patient who is not able to decide on their own.
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Considering the source of a living will, both the sick individuals and health care providers ought to ask for guidance from the church in an attempt to make sure that it is in line with the Catholic teachings (Morrow, 2013). It is because of this reason that a living will should consider the following key elements: Desire to alleviate pain, evaluating treatment options to determine the ones that are either ordinary or extra ordinary, ensuring hydration or proper nutrition, prevents euthanasia and giving of care that involves spiritual matters. The incorporation of these five elements guarantees that that the living will that is written is in line with magisterial teachings. In addition, the incorporation of these principles is considered an efficient way of evangelizing teaching the Catholic Church beliefs on human dignity and care during the last stages of life (Morrow, 2013). Therefore, a Catholic living will is a way of evangelizing in cases where a person is incapacitated and is not able to speak for him/herself.
Giving Spiritual Care
The Catholic faith in rising from death and the concept of everlasting life are enforced by administration of sacraments. The following sacraments are considered healing sacraments: Viaticum sacrament, anointing for those who are sick sacrament and penance sacrament (Byrne, 1892). These sacraments offer strength, grace and peace as one prepares to die. Anointing of the sick sacrament gives peace and strength needed to face challenges that come along illnesses. The sacrament unites an individual with the Passion of Jesus Christ. The suffering as a result of illness is seen as involvement in the works of Jesus Christ of saving mankind from sin. In addition, the Catholic Church gives to those who are approaching death the viaticum which is considered as food for the journey ahead. In this case, the Eucharist is considered as the sacrament for transition from the earth to the Father. Just like the other sacraments given to initiate one into the Catholic Christian faith, the sacraments mentioned here are meant to mark an end of the world pilgrimage.
Ensuring proper nutrition and water intake
This basic aspect of life is probably the most important of all from an evangelism point of view. Presenting a request for the provision of water and food including it being administered artificially is an aspect that is in most cases not incorporated in the common will. However, it is a strict element that ought to be included in a Catholic living will. Disagreement between the Catholic Church and the medical personnel on Artificial Nutrition and Hydration (ANH) partially begins with the definition of the words used (Cataldo, 2004). According to the Catholic Church, Artificial Nutrition and Hydration is basic care that is the same as the requirement for clothes and shelter (Cataldo, 2004). Giving of food and water is part of routine even though artificial feeding may require medical acts for it to be administered.
Medics view artificial feeding as a medical treatment procedure. This differs with what Pope John Paul II stated that the giving of water and food by all means including being administered artificially shows a natural way of life preservation and different from medical related activities (Cataldo, 2004). The Catholic Church views life as a vessel good for the individual. It pays attention on the value of the human being created after God’s and therefore decisions are made based on the fact that life is sacred. However, the advantages of the Catholic Church approach are in most cases not discerned by the secular medics. The Catholic Church accepts that as an individual’s health condition decline and death is around the corner, a time may come when artificial nutrition and health may come to finality. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009, when ANH has come to finality, it not obligatory at this point and it can be stopped.
Determining if treatment is ordinary or extra ordinary
The idea of consenting to ordinary or extra ordinary care is a topic that has been taught in the Catholic Church for many years. The church gives guidance on decisions made towards the end of life. The decisions have to be thoroughly assessed and evaluated before implementation. According to the Catholic Church, there is need for enough information presented and a clear insight by the patient in order to determine if the care towards the end of life suggested will achieve the following things: become a transition point from a medical problem to healing and recovery; alleviate suffering from an illness and give little hope (Morrow, 2013).
It has been proven that a good way to assist in decisions regarding end of life care is to have the ailing individuals and their surrogates take part together with physicians in coming up with the best decisions. By doing this, Catholic Church patients should begin by choosing health care choices that are morally acceptable and can make sober decisions even in situations that are stressful. According to the Catholic faith, patients ought to air their views with time to their health care providers. In addition, surrogates ought to make decisions that are in line with what patients would have decided to do in such a circumstance either orally or written. Making medical decisions is probably the most challenging thing for doctors and the health care team. On the other hand, it can be rewarding by taking time to understand the patients in a direct way or through their surrogates, understanding the patient’s life history and seeing Jesus in the sick individuals as they exist the world.
Prohibiting euthanasia
The Catholic Church states that carrying out euthanasia is a serious breach of the laws given by God. Pope John Paul II, stated that euthanasia is a kind of a mercy that is not true and it is actually a not mercy at all (Morrow, 2013). According to the secular world, euthanasia is meant to alleviate suffering. Euthanasia involves two major components which are exclusion and an aim to cause death. The two aspects must be present for an action to be termed as euthanasia. Death that results from help from a physician due to a number of reasons is a type of euthanasia. It is founded on the premise that individuals have the right and choice to determine when and how they will die. The Catholic Church does not support this premise. It respects an individual’s right for choices but it is limited. The church considers life so valuable and a basic gift from God. Human beings are therefore stewards of life but not controllers.
Alleviating Pain and Suffering
The Church teachings support the aim of freeing patients from pain as much as possible. This makes patients die in a comfortable way and with the appropriate dignity accorded. In addition, the church also gives guidelines on the moral impacts of administering pain killers that may affect the consciousness levels of an individual or decrease a patient’s life span. According to Pope Pius XII, in cases where there is no other approach of making an individual feel better and it does not deter them from continuing with religious roles, then the use of pain relieving drugs is acceptable (Morrow, 2013). In addition, the Church teaches that suffering is very helpful due to the fact that end life in most cases is a period of fear and asking oneself questions about a God who permits suffering to human beings. Pope John Paul II once stated that love is the only source of the responses to these questions. John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”. The verse presents to human beings the heart and love of God through HIS saving work which overcame suffering through Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a living will that incorporates the components discussed in this paper shows the basic teachings of the Catholic Church doctrine. A living will that complies with the Catholic faith prevents the shortcomings of living wills that are not Christianity based (Morrow, 2013). A living will that is secular refuses ailing individuals the correct and appropriate care towards the end of life. At all times, the Catholic will offer guidelines to our earthly lives and the transition from death into everlasting life with Christ Jesus.
References
Byrne, W. (1892). Catholic doctrine: Gathered from Sacred Scripture, decrees of councils, and approved catechisms . Boston: Cashman, Keating.
Morrow, P. (2013). The Catholic Living will and Healthcare Surrogate: A Teaching Document for Evangelization, and a Means of Ensuring Spirituality Throughout Life. The Linacre Quarterly, 80 (4), 317-322. doi:10.1179/2050854913y.0000000010
Catechism of the Catholic Church. (n.d). Retrieved from http://scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
Cataldo, P. J. (2004). Pope John Paul II on Nutrition and Hydration. The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, 4 (3), 513-536. doi:10.5840/ncbq20044326
The Holy Bible : Containing the Old and New Testaments: John 3:16, (1985). Nashville, TN: Gideons International.
