St. Raphael Consultants in Bioethics

bioethics consultation

Will your loved ones know what morally acceptable healthcare decisions to make if you are incapable of making them yourself?

bioethics consultation

Will your loved ones know what morally acceptable healthcare decisions to make if you are incapable of making them yourself?

Our Mission

The Redemptive Nature of Suffering

Pain and suffering can be a distressing experience. It should be comforting to reflect on the fact that God Himself entered into human suffering through His Son who suffered and died so we could overcome death. We can join our suffering with that of our Savior on the cross at Calvary and so assist in His work of salvation for the human race. Christ is with us during our illness and shares in our suffering as we share in His.

Obligatory and Optional Moral Means

One of the most important moral distinctions in end-of-life situations is between what is morally obligatory and what is morally optional. Most medical treatments received during the course of one's lifetime are routine and do not raise serious moral questions. However, medical circumstances may require considerable reflection about what procedures are appropriate for a given medical condition and time of life.

Moral Teachings of the Church

Normally, the patient's judgement concerning treatment should guide others in their decisions, unless the treatment is medically unwarranted or contrary to moral norms. There should be a presumption in favor of providing food and water to all patients. Normal care is always morally obligatory, but refusal of additional interventions deemed extraordinary is not equivalent to suicide.

Giving Instructions for Future Care

All hospitals and health care facilities are required by law to provide written information to the patient about the right to accept or refuse medical treatment as well as the right to formulate an advance directive and designate a health care proxy to make medical decisions if the patient is incapacitated or not able to make health care decisions for other reasons.

The Specter of Euthanasia

Human Life is a precious gift from God. Our love of God and His creation should cause us to shun any thoughts of violating this great gift through suicide or euthanasia.

Resources

On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering - Pope John Paul II
The Gospel of Life - Pope John Paul II
Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services - USCCB
Letter - Samaritanus bonus - on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life - Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

A Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions by the National Catholic Bioethics Center was used as a reference for the above section.

Access the NCBC website: National Catholic Bioethics Center

Established on the Feast of St. Raphael the Archangel 2020

St. Raphael Consultants in Bioethics

St. Raphael Consultants in Bioethics

bioethics consultation

bioethics consultation

We walk this road with You

Our Mission

The Redemptive Nature of Suffering

Obligatory and Optional Moral Means

Moral Teachings of the Church

Giving Instructions for Future Care

The Specter of Euthanasia

Resources

Reviews

St. Raphael Consultants in Bioethics

St. Raphael Consultants in Bioethics

bioethics consultation

bioethics consultation

We walk this road with You

Our Mission

The Redemptive Nature of Suffering

Obligatory and Optional Moral Means

Moral Teachings of the Church

Giving Instructions for Future Care

The Specter of Euthanasia

Resources

Reviews

This website uses cookies.