118 French bishops signed a declaration this week promoting end-of-life care and explaining the Church’s opposition to suicide in all forms. The declaration, called “End of Life: Yes to the Urgency of Fraternity,” was signed by the French bishops expressing their concern over human lives. The document was published to promote compassion towards those nearing the end of their lives, and to oppose physician-assisted suicide legislation.
As reported by CNA, The Bishops said in a document that “Whatever our convictions, the end of life is a time we all will live and a concern we share. Everyone must be able to think as calmly as possible, avoiding the pitfalls of passions and pressures.” Further, they stated that “We want, above all, to express our full compassion for our brothers and sisters at the end of life, as the Church has always tried to do. They present themselves in their weaknesses, their existence is a call: what humanity, what attention, what kind of solicitude will we show to those who live among us? Accepting physician-assisted suicide in France would be contradictory since the nation is also promoting efforts to fight against suicide.”
The Bishops concluded the document by calling on the nation’s citizens to remember the story of the Good Samaritan, who passed a wounded man in the street. Instead of leaving the man to die, he cared for him and made sure he received the proper care and attention to recover.
Source: CNA
