catholicweekly.com.au 3 11, July, 2021 A s the oldest and larg- est health and aged care provider in the world, the Catholic Church has long operated to uphold the dignity of the el- derly and the dying and com- passionately to relieve their suffering, never entertaining killing them or collaborating in bringing about their early death. So our first reason for opposing these laws is a prac- tical one: this is not what we are set up to do, not in accord with our traditions and prac- tices, diametrically opposed to the spirit that inspires the care Catholic institutions offer. If Australia tolerates non-government providers of health and aged care like us, we have to be given the space to be different in some ways. Second, the sanctity of life principle and consequent prohibition on killing has been a cornerstone of our law and medical practice and this FROM PAGE 1 “The CMDFA agrees with the World Medical Association that the practice of euthana- sia and physician-assisted suicide is unethical and must be condemned by themedical profession,” he said. The talks will be held over three weeks during August at Our Lady of Dolours Church in Chatswood and St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta. Speakers will include sev- eral medical professionals including specialist palliative care doctors who will address myths and concerns about the end of life. They will explain how palliative care is both misunderstood and under- funded, and when employed effectively, addresses all the concerns of those who advo- cate for assisted dying. Fr David Ranson, vicar gen- eral for the Diocese of Broken Bay and Fr Peter Williams, vicar general for the Diocese of Parramatta, will address the theological aspects of the debate. Monica Doumit, director, Public Affairs and Engage- ment for the Catholic Archdi- ocese of Sydney will discuss the dangers of legalising as- Legalising euthanasia and assisting suicide would be a “disastrous move,” Archbishop Anthony Fisher warns as state Parliament prepares to consider whether to allow euthanasia to be debated Don’t sugarcoat the truth has served us very well for a long time now. We should not abandon it lightly. The view that human be- A photo illustration shows tools used in euthanasia. Critics of Alex Greenwich’s proposed NSW euthana- sia legislation charge that it would establish a moral rupture and ultimately change the purpose of the state from protecting life to promoting death. PHOTO: CNS, NORBERT FELLECHNER,WWW.IMAGOVIA REUTERS ings are special, their dignity inalienable and their lives inviolable, is no monopoly of Christians or even of religious believers: it is common to the legal systems of most nations, international human rights instruments, the pre-Chris- tian Hippocratic Oath and the modern ethics of the World Medical Association andmost local medical associations. We should be very wary of overturning all that and cre- ating two classes of citizens: those whose lives are inviola- ble and so protected by law, Talks unveil the reality sisted suicide and euthanasia. “It isn’t going unnoticed that in the midst of a pandem- ic when we are being asked to place restrictions on ourselves in order to keep vulnerable people in our society safe, that Mr Greenwich has chosen to spend his lockdown period working to propose a law that Greg Sheridan AO April 2021 Keynote speaker Topics explored have included the preservation of our democracy, domestic violence, business ethics 101, religious liberty and many other topics from a Catholic Christian perspective. Sydney Catholic BUSINESS Network The Sydney Catholic Business Network, established in 2011, is an initiative of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and is an opportunity for business, community, government and Catholic leaders to meet on a regular basis, to discuss matters of mutual concern and to work together on contemporary issues. If you would like to become a member or would like more information, please phone: 1800 753 959 or email:
[email protected] Consider joining our Business Network today! suicide prevention measures and societal respect, and those whose lives can be tak- en or whose suicides can be encouraged or enabled. The sanctity of life princi- ple has been a powerful driver in our response to the coro- navirus pandemic. We have accepted various restrictions on our daily lives principally so as to keep the elderly, frail and dying safe (the young and healthy, we know, are not in much danger). It is a good instinct. We have accepted some limitations on our au- tonomy in order to protect the most vulnerable. The sanctity of life princi- ple also informed our horror at some of the revelations of the Aged Care Royal Commis- sion. We think the frail elderly deserve better. Whether we neglect them to death or offer them the wherewithal to ‘vol- unteer’ for an early death, we are saying their lives are not the equal of ours, that they (or we) would be better off if they were dead. Thirdly, physician-assisted suicide laws inevitably suffer from “bracket creep”. Already in Australia’s short experi- ence of this we have found the law applied to far more people than was first expected and there has already been a concerted campaign to relax the supposed “safeguards” that were put in place to sell those laws. Looking overseas we see voluntary assisted su- icide laws in some countries, originally applicable on a vol- untary basis for dying adults only, gradually extended to those whose condition is not terminal, or not even medi- cal, and to children and the unconscious. We should not go there! There is nothing that can be done to sugarcoat state-sanc- tioned killing of certain citi- zens: it is a disastrous move. So is assisting in suicides. But there can be better or worse versions of such a bad law. It would obviously be better, for example, if there were clear guarantees that no institution, no professional, no sick per- son and no family member would be required to partic- ipate in or refer for eutha- nasia, and that none would be disadvantaged for having exercised this right. While I am pessimistic about other provisions to ensure voluntar- iness or to minimise the pool of those eligible – pessimistic because I don’t believe such safeguards will long hold once euthanasia is permitted – I re- spect those politicians who try to make bad laws not-so-bad. The above statement was issued by Archbishop An- thony Fisher OP this week following news that the NSW Parliament may soon be considering the legalisation of euthanasia Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP There is nothing that can be done to sugarcoat state-sanctioned killing of certain citizens: it is a disastrous move.” Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP A theological view on suffering and death (Catholic focus) Monday, 2 August 2021, 7:30pm, Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church, 94 Archer St, Chatswood NSW Speaker: Fr David Ranson VG Tuesday, 3 August 2021, 7:30pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, 1 Marist Pl, Parramatta NSW, Speaker: Fr Peter Williams VG Debunking the myths around palliative care Monday, 9 August 2021, 7:30pm, Our Lady of Dolours, 94 Archer St, Chatswood NSW. Dr Charbel Bejjani, Dr Lynn Lim, Michael McHugh, Sr Cecilia LSP Tuesday, 10 August 2021, 7:30pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, 1 Marist Pl, Parramatta NSW Speakers: Dr Maria Cigolini, Dr Phillip Lee, Michael McHugh How to speak about euthanasia with friends and family Monday, 16 August 2021, 7:30pm, Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church, 94 Archer St, Chatswood NSW Speaker: Monica Doumit Tuesday, 17 August 2021, 7:30pm, St Patrick’s Cathedral, 1 Marist Pl, Parramatta NSW Speaker: Monica Doumit would threaten the lives of vulnerable people,” Ms Dou- mit told The Catholic Weekly . According to media re- ports, Mr Greenwich said he intended to introduce his Bill in the last sitting week in Au- gust and that he had listened to the concerns of religious groups. When - and where NEWS