Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Our faith teaches us that all human life is a sacred gift that we receive from God and that God alone is to decide the beginning and the end of our life. For that reason, both the Scriptures and the Church have always taught that it is a grave sin to take a human life; either the life of another or our own.

While life is indeed a gift from God, there are many challenges and difficulties that we all encounter in life. It was to save us from these difficulties, and the sinful choices that they can cause us to make, that Christ came into the world. Confronted by the trials of life, and the suffering these can bring, Jesus speaks these comforting words to us:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). It is not for nothing that this passage is used as one of the series of scripture passages for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Sick. Jesus has come to help us to do the Father’s will in our difficult and challenging situations in life. To show us how this is to be done, Jesus Himself took up His cross and was obedient to the will of God the Father. Jesus, the way, the truth and the life has given us the example by which we are to embrace God’s will for us, ask His grace to strengthen us, and follow His example in the words of the perfect prayer, the “Our Father.” In this prayer we ask for the strength to do God’s will for us each day of our lives.

Through His life, death and resurrection, Christ has destroyed death and won for us the ultimate victory over all that we will suffer. He has also ascended into Heaven to be with the Father to intercede on our behalf and sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church so that He might always be present to us in the Sacraments of the Church. Just as Christ has come into the world to reveal God’s will to us and to help us to do God’s will, so too His presence in the Sacraments is intended to help us to do God’s will and know His presence in our lives. The Sacraments are celebrated to help us do God’s will and to give us the graces that we require for the Christian journey. The Sacraments can never be celebrated to help us go against God’s will or to give a type of ecclesial blessing to those who choose to reject God’s will.

As the Government has recently passed legislation that has made euthanasia or assisted suicide legal, it is important that we Catholics understand that the Scriptures and the Church teach that suicide of any kind, or assisting a person to take his or her life, is immoral and a grave sin against God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded (CCC #2277).

As the Catechism makes clear, euthanasia is always wrong and it is a moral evil to end one’s life in this way or to assist another person to do so.

Because the Sacraments have been given to us by Christ so that we may live in communion with Him and that they might assist us to do God’s will, the Sacraments can never be celebrated by a person who is intent on rejecting God’s will. A person who is resolved to take his or her life cannot celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be absolved of taking the life they are about to take. As the Sacrament of the Sick is intended to strengthen us to accept God’s will at the time we are struggling with infirmity, it cannot be celebrated by one intent on rejecting God’s will by taking their life. These Sacraments of Healing may only correctly be celebrated to strengthen one who is tempted to take their life in the hopes that they may repudiate this sinful intention in order to accept their cross and to do God’s will. For those who are intent on taking their life, the Sacraments can never be celebrated to bless such an action. For those who assist a person in taking their life, the Sacraments are always available to reconcile them to God and the Church, if they repent, acknowledge the wrong they have done and open their hearts to God’s healing grace.

In the Archdiocese of Toronto, Cardinal Collins has instructed the priests of the Archdiocese to follow the guidelines formulated by the Bishops of Alberta on this matter in their pastoral response to those considering euthanasia or for those who have followed through on this action. These guidelines are called: Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons & Families Considering or Opting for Death by Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia—A Vademecum for Priests and Parishes.” Some copies of this document are available at the back of the church or may be accessed by searching for it on-line.

One of the significant consequences that accompany the choice to end one’s life through euthanasia is the possibility that persons who do so may be denied a Catholic funeral Mass. Our society is presenting euthanasia as a type of acceptable action. It is not. The Church cannot celebrate a funeral Mass for a person who has ended their life in this manner when such a celebration would appear to celebrate the manner of their death or to bless this morally unacceptable action. To deny a person a funeral is a serious decision. The Church does so only to save souls and to prevent others from acting in this way. Christians who might be tempted to consider euthanasia must be aware that this is a possible consequence of their actions.

Sickness, and the challenges which come with infirmity and ageing, are amongst the greatest struggles that we must each face in life. Those who suffer in this way need all of the love and support of Christ, His Sacraments and the entire Church. All life is sacred. No life is diminished in value by sickness or old age. Christ has left us the Sacraments so that we might know that He is always with us and that we might be strengthened to carry our crosses with the power of His grace. The Sacraments are to help all Catholics to do God’s will. The Sacraments are to be celebrated with those who are free to celebrate them and are struggling to accept and do God’s will. The Sacraments cannot be celebrated by those who are resolved to reject God’s will. The Sacraments cannot be used to bless our disobedience.

I have written this letter to help the parishioners of St. Peter’s Parish understand the Church’s teaching on these matters. It is very important that all of us bear in mind the Church’s teaching when considering such important matters of our salvation. If anything in this letter troubles you, or you would like to discuss it at greater length, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than happy to be available to discuss these matters with you.

Let us pray for all those who carry the burden of sickness or infirmity. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom we are called to walk in loving support.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Michael McGourty
Pastor, St. Peter’s Parish—Toronto