Why Euthanasia Is Unacceptable to a Priest in the Catholic Church

Euthanasia and the Traditional Catholic Church Fr. Mackin is the spiritual leader of a traditional Catholic Church. His worldview is informed by his religious faith and on the subject of voluntary/assisted euthanasia he represented the perspective of the traditional Catholic Church. The stance of the Church on euthanasia, according to Fr.

Mackin, is clear: it does not condone the taking of life, including one's own, in any circumstance (except for self-defense or in war time -- cases which do not apply to the taking of one's own life, which Fr. Mackin described as a sin against hope and charity). Mackin clarified how euthanasia is actually a sin against charity, because it would seem that it might be more charitable to help someone who is suffering from a terminal disease to ease their pain by terminating their suffering (i.e., their life).

However, the opinion of the traditional Catholic Church is that the hour of death is the most important time in a person's life, and one should, if possible, be sensible (i.e., aware of one's self and actions) at that time. According to Fr. Mackin, it is especially important that the sufferer be prepared to come before God when the soul separates from the body and that because this is going to happen, the individual should do his or her best to prepare the soul for that meeting.

This means that the person should receive the sacraments that the Church offers (penance, reconciliation, the last rites), which can purify the soul and make it pleasing to God. If one terminates one's life early, this can be an act of presumption on the part of the sufferer in that he himself chooses his hour of death rather than allowing God to choose it for him.

The Church also indicates that this hour can actually be an occasion in which the sufferer can offer up his or her sufferings to God, in union with the suffering and death of Our Lord, for a meritorious end -- meaning in way that is pleasing to God. Fr. Mackin's philosophy regarding death is that death is a time to prepare oneself to meet God, not a time to worry about "easing" into it. It is the moment that should put all other moments into perspective. The saints, Fr.

Mackin says, used to keep "reminders of death" with them in their cells -- skulls or a crucifix -- to remind themselves that they too would one day die. Living each moment as though it is your last is part of the philosophy of Fr.

Mackin's worldview -- and what he means when says that is not that you should enjoy each moment (because life, according to him, is not so much about enjoyment as it is about respecting God's laws, loving God and your fellow man) but rather that you should review your actions constantly to see that they are pleasing to God and that if you find any sins on your conscience you should confess them. This is what the last hour of death should be used for, says Fr.

Mackin: there should be a priest there to administer the sacraments (i.e., hear the sinner's confession and give a blessing or absolution). And if the person is suffering terribly there is nothing wrong with easing this suffering but it is important not to actively.