The bishops say the euthanasia law "establishes a moral breakdown" and asks politicians to oppose its approval

The Catholic Church reacts to the regulation of dignified death in Spain. The bishops say "no" to the future euthanasia law, that will be approved in the next few days in Congress, considering that "it establishes a moral rupture, a change in the aims of the State: from defending life to being responsible for the inflicted death. They also consider that" the medical profession "is upset, and they call a day of fasting and prayer against regulations for next December 16. The ultra-conservative groups are in turn mounting a campaign to accuse the Executive of creating a "concealed death penalty."

In a note published this morning, the Episcopal Conference denounces the processing "suspiciously accelerated, in times of pandemic and state of alarm, without listening or public dialogue." "It is a proposal that matches the anthropological and cultural vision of the dominant power systems in the world," they state, making use of both the letter 'Samaritanus Bonus' from the Vatican and its document 'Sowers of hope'. For this reason, "we ask those who have responsibility in making these serious decisions to act in conscience, according to truth and justice."

Faced with euthanasia, "we urge the promotion of palliative care, which helps to live the serious illness without pain and the integral accompaniment, therefore also spiritual, to the sick and their families." A "comprehensive care" that "relieves pain, consoles and offers hope that arises from faith and gives meaning to all human life, even in suffering and vulnerability."

The Episcopal Conference sees possible reasons for resources in the recognition of the right to dispose of one's own life: "Caused death cannot be a shortcut that allows us to save human and financial resources in palliative care and comprehensive accompaniment." And he adds that "when faced with death as a solution, it is necessary to invest in the care and closeness that we all need in the final stage of this life. This is true compassion", as has been shown, they indicate, throughout the pandemic. "Ending life cannot be the solution to tackle a human problem."

The bishops attribute perverse collateral effects to a euthanasia law by stating that "the experience of the few countries where it has been legalized tells us that euthanasia incites death to the weakest." The episcopal text abounds in that "by granting this supposed right, the person, who experiences himself as a burden for the family and a social burden, feels conditioned to ask for death when a law presses him in that direction."

"The lack of palliative care is also an expression of social inequality. Many people die without being able to receive this care and only those who can pay for it," denounce the bishops, who conclude by underlining that "euthanasia and assisted suicide are a defeat for all. The response to which we are called is never to abandon those who suffer, never to give up, but to care and love to give hope ".

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