With euthanasia nothing is relieved, it ends with a life, says Cardinal

The Catholic Church in Chile expressed its position before the bill that seeks to approve euthanasia in the country.

The session of the Senate Health Commission had the participation of legislators; the archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Fernando Chomali; members of the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile; and the Bishop of San Bernardo and member of the Permanent Committee of the Episcopal Conference, Mons. Juan Ignacio González; relatives of serious patients and experts in bioethics.

The project seeks to “establish the right to voluntarily opt for medical assistance to accelerate death in cases of terminal and incurable disease”, summary from the Senate.

Besides, establishes “That this practice must be oriented to cause a quick death, without pain and with the least possible suffering.”

Among the requirements to access is the diagnosis of a serious and irremediable health problem by two specialist doctors; have Chilean nationality, legal residence in Chile or accredited residence greater than twelve months; be of age; be aware at the time of the application; the certification of a psychiatrist of the full use of mental faculties of the applicant; and that the application is expressly, reasoned, repeated, unequivocal and free of any external pressure. The application is very personal and indeliable.

Medicine “has no vocation to end a human life

Within that framework, Cardinal Chomali exposed the gaze of the Catholic Church on the inviolable value of human life, remembering that “behind the idea of ​​’dignified death’ often hides the claim to have the life of the weakest and most sick, instead of accompanying them in the final stretch of their existence.”

The parliamentary initiative observed the purple – which is also an expert in bioethics – “speaks of medical assistance, but of an ‘assistance’ that neither more nor less intends to cause death.”

“Obviously, medicine has other specific purposes,” he said. “You have to cure, prevent, accompany. It has no vocation to end a human life.”

He also pointed out the difference between those who have economic resources, which are usually better accompanied and careful, and the poorest, who could be pushed into this option due to abandonment and lack of support networks.

Strengthen palliative medicine

In that context, Cardinal Chomali summoned “strengthening palliative medicine in hospitals and clinics, as well as promoting public policies in favor of older adults, particularly in pensions and access to health.”

“With euthanasia nothing is relieved, it ends with a life. But it must also be said that with that same vehemence we have to be very careful with therapeutic cruelty, which is an improper practice of medicine,” he warned.

What we must encourage, he considered, “it is a true palliative care treaty at the university level and hospital level. We are in that,” he lamented.

He also emphasized the idea of ​​protecting the dignity of the most vulnerable people in health. “Many people are subject to poverty, do not have medical treatments, are going to line up to have access to medicine. That is a major problem.”

Finally, the archbishop urged legislators to reflect on the cultural background that favors euthanasia, with a primacy of individual autonomy over community sense and solidarity.

In that sense, he recalled that “the mood of a society is not measured only by its economic or technological indices, but by how it treats the weakest and homeless.”

The request of the Catholic Church, synthesized, “is that this bill is postponed and that a true treatise of palliative care is carried out. But the application of a human action with the purpose and with the intention of ending life – although it is seriously ill and even requested it – under any point of view.”