Catholic Bioethics: Care for the Seriously Ill and Dying

"The eloquence of the parable of the Good Samaritan, and of the whole Gospel, is especially this: every individual must feel as if called personally to bear witness to love in suffering" (Salvifici doloris, 29).

Assisted suicide is on lawmakers' agendas. Supporters call it "aid in dying" and claim it is just another option for ending intolerable pain as part of end-of-life care. But assisted suicide is radically different from end-of-life care and the practice of palliative care, the healing art of relieving pain and other distressing symptoms for patients who are seriously ill. In fact, these two agendas are at war with each other. 

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness, focusing on relief from symptoms and stress while they are still seeking curative treatment. Patients are candidates for palliative care whenever they are facing a serious illness. Hospice care is a type of palliative care but with a particular acknowledgement of, and focus on, the patient’s approaching end of life—when the goal of care is no longer cure of disease but rather comfort and relief from it. 

The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released the letter Samaritanus Bonus, affirming the Church’s teaching on care for the critically ill or dying and offers pastoral guidance for increasingly complex situations at the end of life.

The compendium contains summaries of each section of Samaritanus Bonus and was prepared by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities to serve as a resource on and introduction to the letter. It can be used on its own or in conjunction with the study guide. 

The study guide is designed for group discussions and reflection on the letter from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith Samaritanus Bonus, “On the Care of Persons in the Critical and Terminal Phases of Life.”  It can be used in conjunction with either the “Samaritanus Bonus: A Compendium” or with the full document. This study guide provides Scripture passages, prayers, and discussion questions to help participants reflect more deeply on Samaritanus Bonus and its central themes and teachings.