Life Issues
All life is sacred, a gift from God. To end life prematurely is to deny that God has a plan for every human, created as we are in the image of his son Jesus Christ.
This is why the Church opposes abortion (ending life in the womb) and Euthanasia (ending life before natural death). Instead the Church believes all life should be cherished at all times, whatever a persons’ wealth, or state of health. The Church endorses practical initiatives to help those in need including better palliative care for the terminally ill, and financial aid for hard-up mothers’-to-be. In England and Wales, the Church celebrates this core belief of the dignity of all human life on the annual Day for Life, an initiative for the worldwide Catholic community, established by John Paul II.
For more details visit the Day for Life website
This year's Day for Life
Day for Life - the day in the Church's year dedicated to celebrating the dignity of life from conception to natural death - will this year focus on the theme of suicide.
The main emphasis of Day for Life in 2009 will be on the pastoral dimensions of this difficult and sensitive subject. It will highlight why the Church believes that every life is worth living and look at the reasons why people contemplate suicide. It will also point towards the support that the professional services can bring and hopefully help to reduce the stigma too often associated with mental illness and depression.
Building upon last year's focus on mental health; the bishops hope that this year's day with its particular focus on suicide will help raise awareness of the vital role played by families and a supportive parish community in supporting and sustaining those who may be struggling to cope.
Day for Life will be celebrated this year on 26 July 2009.
Care Not Killing Alliance
The Care Not Killing website covers news of the failure of a High Court Appeal on assisted suicide.
Debbie Purdy, who has multiple sclerosis, had asked that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) should be instructed to say under what circumstances her husband would be prosecuted if he were to her assist her to travel to Switzerland at some point in the future in order to commit suicide at the Dignitas suicide facility. The High Court had refused Ms Purdy's application but given her leave to appeal. The Court of Appeal has today confirmed the verdict of the High Court.
19 Feb 09
Purdy Appeal Rejected - The DPP Is 'Not in Dereliction of His Statutory Duty'
Collection proceeds - England and Wales
In England and Wales, collections will be held in parishes on the Day for Life 2009. The proceeds of these collections will be used to provide core funding for the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Ethics and to cover the costs of the materials for this year’s Day for Life. In addition, grants will be made to support Catholic charities working in fields connected with this year's theme.