For some who promote the idea of legalizing physician assisted suicide (PAS) the main idea of their selling point or marketing tool is a confusion of the idea of “choice of compassionate care.” An argument by proponents of assisted suicide is that this is a compassionate thing to do, but the reality is far different. In the words of the U.S. bishops: “True compassion alleviates suffering while maintaining solidarity with those who suffer. It does not put lethal drugs into their hands and abandon them to their suicidal impulses, or to the self-serving motives of others who may want them dead.”

The real issue before the Church—and the whole of society—is that of promoting compassionate palliative care, which is increasingly recognized as a medically sound and effective way of deal-ing with end-of-life-situations. In a letter to parishioners (now listed on St. Catherine of Siena’s website: www.stcatherine.info) by Archbishop Leonard Blair, notes that “I should add that opposition to suicide does not mean that a person is obliged to undergo medical pro-cedures that, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, are ‘over-zealous,’ that is to say, ‘burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome’ (no. 2278).There is a great moral difference, however, between refusing such treatments and committing suicide.”

It is also argued that mentally and emotionally, people should not have to be plagued by fears of losing control or being a burden. But that is why a truly compassionate society, medical profession, family and church community are present: to rise to the challenge of palliative care that includes hospice and specialty consultation, spiritual support, family counseling and other assistance. Again to quote the U.S. bishops: “people who request death are vulnerable. They need care and protection. To offer them lethal drugs is a victory not for freedom, but from the worst form of neglect. Such abandonment is especially irresponsible when society is in-creasingly aware of elder abuse and other forms of mistreatment and ex-ploitation of vulnerable persons.” Legalizing suicide has prov-en to be a slippery slope to euthanasia, and to broader applica-tion than terminal illness. In Holland, what began as suicide for those in “unbearable suffering” who voluntarily requested it now extends to patients without their knowledge or con-sent, and to those who are said to have “psychic suffering” or “potential disfigurement personality.” Among this group is a disproportionate number of the most vulnerable: the poor, the elderly, the mentally ill, and the disabled. The Royal Dutch Medical Association eventually concluded that doctors should be allowed to perform euthanasia on patients who are not ill but are “suffering through living.” In Switzerland, “suicide because of old age” is now permitted. In our own country, there are those who want to broaden the agenda to include chronic illness and disability.

This new outlook on the end-of-life, sometimes sani-tized and removed from life itself, has brought us to the false belief that Pope Francis noted in his words, “how great a lie…lurks behind certain phrases which so insist on the importance of ‘quality of life’ that they make people think that lives affected by grave illness are not worth living!”

In the State of Connecticut, a Physician As-sisted Suicide Bill SB No. 668, "An Act Providing a Medical Option of Compassionate Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Adults" was introduced in the Judiciary Committee of the General Assembly. To educate ourselves on the Church’s teachings and positions on this subject matter, please see our parish website (stcatherine.info) and review the information provided by the Archdiocese of Hartford. Archbishop Blair will be asking all of us to stand up and be counted in resisting the efforts to pass this legislation and to stand up to what is an offense against the relationship with naturally share with our Creator.

I thank you for your time and attention on this very important matter.