by Catherine | Oct 8, 2014 | Faith
Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman facing a stage 4 brain tumor, says that she has a right to “death with dignity.” “Death with dignity” is a euphemism for suicide with a prescription drug. Maynard’s doctors told her in April that she likely had 6 months left to live. She intends to take a prescription medication on November 1 to end her life while maintaining that it is not suicide.
“Death With Dignity”?
The phrase “death with dignity” reveals a misunderstanding of what dignity is in the first place. The presumption is that there’s a way to die without dignity.
Well, what is dignity anyway?
We get the word dignity from the Latin dignitas meaning “worth.” All human beings have dignity–inherent value and worth. The way we die has nothing to do with our worth. We have dignity because we are human. Period.
How did we get our dignity as humans?
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26)
We have dignity because God gave it to us. He made us in His image and likeness. What can be more dignified than being made in the image and likeness of our Creator? When we understand what dignity really is, we understand that it is impossible to die without it.
So, what do people mean when they say that they are seeking “death with dignity”? They seem to mean that it is undignified, or beneath the worth of a human, to have to suffer. We hear this language all the time–especially when the person envisions themselves “becoming a burden” to loved ones or going through the humiliation of losing their physical or mental capacities.
It seems ridiculous to hear that line of thinking and gaze upon a crucifix.
Or look at images from The Passion of the Christ
Christ suffered.
He was humiliated.
Would we even dream of saying that He died without dignity?
He is God, and He went through humiliation and suffering before His death for us. Nonetheless, we seem to think that we are above certain ways of dying.
While we don’t believe that suffering is good, and we can make appropriate medical interventions to avoid it unnecessarily, we may still suffer as we die. Palliative care is a wonderful blessing and gift for the dying, but we are not guaranteed that death will be as neat, tidy, convenient, efficient, or easy as we try to make the rest of our lives. So, if our death comes with suffering, we might as well put it to work.
Just like the woman in the story, I am a 29-year-old woman full of hope and plans for the future. I have no idea what God has in store for me. I pray that His plan includes raising our children into adulthood and living a long, healthy life, but it may not.
I’ve never received a stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, but as Fr. John Riccardo says, “we’re all terminal,” from the moment we’re born. I don’t get to choose when or how I’ll die, but I pray that God will give me the strength to do it well. My life is pure gift, only He gives me dignity, and only He will get to decide when my life will end.
The culture of death wants us to embrace suicide as “death with dignity.” To convince us that “death with dignity” is a good choice, the proponents have to do language gymnastics. Brittany Maynard describes “death with dignity” like this:
“It is an end-of-life option for mentally competent, terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live. It would enable me to use the medical practice of aid in dying: I could request and receive a prescription from a physician for medication that I could self-ingest to end my dying process if it becomes unbearable.”
“Aid in dying”? “End my dying process”? Suicide is the taking of one’s own life. How can taking a prescription to end one’s life be considered anything but suicide? Look no further than the comment boxes related to this story, and the people choosing “death with dignity” are called heroic, selfless, and brave.
I wrote a few months ago that I want people to do this when I’m dying: get a priest, make sure I receive the sacraments, and keep bringing me lists of intentions of people to pray for until I die. By God’s grace, I’ll be able to die a holy death. If I’m honest with myself, I admit that I’m terribly weak, so I’m trying to get spiritually fit for that moment now. I’m keeping lists of intentions and *trying* to remember to unite all of my sufferings (big and itty bitty) to the cross. That’s tough stuff. That’s th
e stuff saints are made of. Yet, that’s what we’re all called to.
As we approach November 1 (All Saints Day), the day that Brittany Maynard has chosen to commit suicide, let’s all pray that those suffering find strength in the risen Lord and remember their dignity. May they imitate the lives of the heroic men and women in heaven who also suffered, remembered their dignity, took up their crosses, and followed Him.
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
If you or a loved one is struggling with how to navigate end-of-life issues, consult the National Catholic Bioethics Center. They provide a free consultation service with qualified ethicists on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — (215) 877-2660. They also publish an informative Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions.
by Catherine | Oct 8, 2014 | Faith
Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman facing a stage 4 brain tumor, says that she has a right to “death with dignity.” “Death with dignity” is a euphemism for suicide with a prescription drug. Maynard’s doctors told her in April that she likely had 6 months left to live. She intends to take a prescription medication on November 1 to end her life while maintaining that it is not suicide.
“Death With Dignity”?
The phrase “death with dignity” reveals a misunderstanding of what dignity is in the first place. The presumption is that there’s a way to die without dignity.
Well, what is dignity anyway?
We get the word dignity from the Latin dignitas meaning “worth.” All human beings have dignity–inherent value and worth. The way we die has nothing to do with our worth. We have dignity because we are human. Period.
How did we get our dignity as humans?
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26)
We have dignity because God gave it to us. He made us in His image and likeness. What can be more dignified than being made in the image and likeness of our Creator? When we understand what dignity really is, we understand that it is impossible to die without it.
So, what do people mean when they say that they are seeking “death with dignity”? They seem to mean that it is undignified, or beneath the worth of a human, to have to suffer. We hear this language all the time–especially when the person envisions themselves “becoming a burden” to loved ones or going through the humiliation of losing their physical or mental capacities.
It seems ridiculous to hear that line of thinking and gaze upon a crucifix.
Or look at images from The Passion of the Christ
Christ suffered.
He was humiliated.
Would we even dream of saying that He died without dignity?
He is God, and He went through humiliation and suffering before His death for us. Nonetheless, we seem to think that we are above certain ways of dying.
While we don’t believe that suffering is good, and we can make appropriate medical interventions to avoid it unnecessarily, we may still suffer as we die. Palliative care is a wonderful blessing and gift for the dying, but we are not guaranteed that death will be as neat, tidy, convenient, efficient, or easy as we try to make the rest of our lives. So, if our death comes with suffering, we might as well put it to work.
Just like the woman in the story, I am a 29-year-old woman full of hope and plans for the future. I have no idea what God has in store for me. I pray that His plan includes raising our children into adulthood and living a long, healthy life, but it may not.
I’ve never received a stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis, but as Fr. John Riccardo says, “we’re all terminal,” from the moment we’re born. I don’t get to choose when or how I’ll die, but I pray that God will give me the strength to do it well. My life is pure gift, only He gives me dignity, and only He will get to decide when my life will end.
The culture of death wants us to embrace suicide as “death with dignity.” To convince us that “death with dignity” is a good choice, the proponents have to do language gymnastics. Brittany Maynard describes “death with dignity” like this:
“It is an end-of-life option for mentally competent, terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live. It would enable me to use the medical practice of aid in dying: I could request and receive a prescription from a physician for medication that I could self-ingest to end my dying process if it becomes unbearable.”
“Aid in dying”? “End my dying process”? Suicide is the taking of one’s own life. How can taking a prescription to end one’s life be considered anything but suicide? Look no further than the comment boxes related to this story, and the people choosing “death with dignity” are called heroic, selfless, and brave.
I wrote a few months ago that I want people to do this when I’m dying: get a priest, make sure I receive the sacraments, and keep bringing me lists of intentions of people to pray for until I die. By God’s grace, I’ll be able to die a holy death. If I’m honest with myself, I admit that I’m terribly weak, so I’m trying to get spiritually fit for that moment now. I’m keeping lists of intentions and *trying* to remember to unite all of my sufferings (big and itty bitty) to the cross. That’s tough stuff. That’s the stuff saints are made of. Yet, that’s what we’re all called to.
As we approach November 1 (All Saints Day), the day that Brittany Maynard has chosen to commit suicide, let’s all pray that those suffering find strength in the risen Lord and remember their dignity. May they imitate the lives of the heroic men and women in heaven who also suffered, remembered their dignity, took up their crosses, and followed Him.
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
If you or a loved one is struggling with how to navigate end-of-life issues, consult the National Catholic Bioethics Center. They provide a free consultation service with qualified ethicists on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — (215) 877-2660. They also publish an informative Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions.
by Catherine | Oct 6, 2014 | Faith
Lord knows I’m always needing prayers, and I’m sure you could use some, too, so let’s start sharing! Today, I’m starting a regular feature on the blog called “Put It To Work.” It’s a weekly swap of prayer intentions. I’ll share mine, and I’d love it if you’d share yours!
Instead of just talking about what’s going on in our lives, we are going to do something about it on Mondays. Are you walking with pep in your step and are bursting with joy this morning? Fantastic! Put it to work! Is something bringing you down that’s contributing to your “case of the Mondays”? Instead of letting it take over the day or week, put it to work, too! Put it all to work. We are going to encourage each other to actively unite all of it to the Cross–our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of every single day. No more wasting any of it. Put it to work.
My Intentions This Week:
Philip is taking his pediatric board exams all day today. Please keep him in your prayers! What are physician board exams, you ask? Well…when a physician passes his or her board exams, they become “board certified.” This means that they passed a test showing their competence in their area of medicine. For Philip, this would mean that he demonstrated his competence in pediatrics.
As Philip puts it, “It’s like being a car repairman who is certified to repair Hondas. The people with Hondas are going to think you’re the most qualified to fix their cars. The board certified physicians are the most qualified in their area of medicine.”
So, please keep the guy in your prayers today!
In addition to praying for Philip with his board exams, can you please add these intentions to your prayers?
- Our GodTeens – that this week’s meeting will draw them closer to God, especially for those who may be doubting God’s existence or His Love
- For me – perseverance with morning prayer time, patience and gentleness with the children instead of impatience or anger
Please share your prayer intentions in the comments below, on Facebook, or via e-mail. Philip and I are sharing a weekly holy hour, and it’s my turn to go tonight. What intentions can I bring before the Lord in adoration? Please pass them along, and I’ll write them down in my prayer journal before I go. I loved bringing your intentions with me last time, and I continue to pray for them.
I hope you’re having a great start to your week! How are you going to put your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings to work today?
Morning Offering
O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Amen.
by Catherine | Sep 26, 2014 | Faith
As we prepare for “The Little Flower,” St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day on October 1, I am THRILLED to share a beautiful resource and initiative with you!
Imagine Sisters is dedicated to introducing the world to the vocation of religious sisters with a combination of media and face-to-face evangelization. Imagine Sisters wants to show the world the truth, beauty, and goodness of the religious life.
Imagine Sisters invite all of us to participate in the “One Rose Invitation 2014” to encourage and inspire more vocations to religious life.
The One Rose Invitation is simple:
“This October 1, Feast of St. Thérèse, invite a young woman you think would make a good sister to consider the religious life by offering her a single rose. Sometimes all it takes is an invitation. One sister can change the world.”
You can print off this invitation from Imagine Sisters to give to the young woman:
I love this idea! “Sometimes all it takes is an invitation.” Perhaps you see God working within a young woman in a way that she has yet to discover. Help introduce her to the beauty of the religious life and the possibility that God might be calling her to uncover “the deepest desire of her heart: to follow Christ in a life-long adventure for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls.” Encourage her to visit Imagine Sisters to learn more and find resources to help her during her discernment process.
by Catherine | Sep 26, 2014 | Faith
As we prepare for “The Little Flower,” St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s feast day on October 1, I am THRILLED to share a beautiful resource and initiative with you!
Imagine Sisters is dedicated to introducing the world to the vocation of religious sisters with a combination of media and face-to-face evangelization. Imagine Sisters wants to show the world the truth, beauty, and goodness of the religious life.
Imagine Sisters invite all of us to participate in the “One Rose Invitation 2014” to encourage and inspire more vocations to religious life.
The One Rose Invitation is simple:
“This October 1, Feast of St. Thérèse, invite a young woman you think would make a good sister to consider the religious life by offering her a single rose. Sometimes all it takes is an invitation. One sister can change the world.”
You can print off this invitation from Imagine Sisters to give to the young woman:
I love this idea! “Sometimes all it takes is an invitation.” Perhaps you see God working within a young woman in a way that she has yet to discover. Help introduce her to the beauty of the religious life and the possibility that God might be calling her to uncover “the deepest desire of her heart: to follow Christ in a life-long adventure for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls.” Encourage her to visit Imagine Sisters to learn more and find resources to help her during her discernment process.
![Happy Baptismal Anniversary, Harold!]()
by Catherine | Sep 16, 2014 | Faith, Family
Today was Harold Fulton Boucher’s 1st Baptismal Anniversary! Yay!
Here are a few of my favorite pictures from his Baptism Day:
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| He was so itty bitty! |
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Harold Fulton
September 15, 2013 |
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| Beth O’Brien’s cookies stole the show at the luncheon reception. Aren’t they adorable?!
One year later…
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| I wanted to do something special for Harry’s baptismal anniversary. During our “special time” this morning, Walt and I made some white cupcakes with white frosting. (Do you like Walt’s bandaid? His head met the pavement last night. I’ll share pictures of his shiner another time.)
September 15 is also the anniversary of my Grandpa Gene’s death. Walt’s middle name is Eugene after Grandpa Gene. Grandpa always loved his desserts, and he would definitely approve of us celebrating Harry’s baptismal anniversary with cupcakes! |
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| Notice the two bare cupcakes in the carrier? Apparently Walt and I were a little too liberal with the frosting and ran out before finishing the job! Oops! After dinner, we displayed Harry’s baptismal garment, lit his baptismal candle, sang “Happy Baptism Day, Harold,” and gave him his little presents. Harry has never had his own stuffed animal (isn’t that awful?!), so we got him a stuffed bunny. Our original copy of Jesus and the 12 Dudes Who Did got destroyed a few years ago, so we got a new one for Harry. It’s already one of his favorites! |
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| Harry was SO HAPPY about his cupcake! Look at that smile! |
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| Baptismal anniversaries rule! |
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| Happy baptismal anniversary, Harry Barry Boo! We are so blessed to call you our son. Love you! |
