Pastoral guidance and sacramental practice for patients who choose assisted suicide/euthanasia Suicide relativism and the canadian dilemma

Abstract

Since 2016, assisted suicide and euthanasia have been legally permitted in Canada and referred to, contentiously, as «Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID )». This paper outlines how suicide relativism has created uncertainty that has affected physicians and healthcare professionals, including healthcare administrators, as they endeavour to discharge their duties. This is done, in part, by addressing how patients who are considering or opting for assisted suicide or euthanasia themselves are affected by suicide relativism as they seek spiritual care, particularly when Catholics might seek confession, extreme unction, a Catholic funeral and rite of burial, critical elements of Catholic pastoral care. Although the Catholic bishops of Canada are united in their view that assisted suicide and euthanasia, objectively, is a moral evil, they are divided on the pastoral response to Catholics who both request assisted suicide or euthanasia and spiritual care at their chosen end of life. This moral ambiguity results in unclarity regarding the moral status of assisted suicide and euthanasia and serves to advance suicide relativism among some Catholic lay people, patients, healthcare professionals and administrators.