The following comes from a posting on the website of the diocese of Sacramento.
On May 31, 2016, Bishop Jaime Soto issued the following statement:
Dear Friends in Christ:
On June 9, 2016 California will venture over a moral precipice with the legal implementation of euthanasia, physician-assisted-suicide. Euphemistically entitled the “End of Life Option Act” this law allows physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs for the expressed purpose of aiding a patient commit suicide.
Under the ruse of compassion, this reprehensible law fundamentally ruptures the physician-patient relationship. Californians will face a new moral menace, especially for the most vulnerable of our neighbors and friends: the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. As has been seen in other states and countries with similar laws, the option to kill one’s self with the aid of a doctor is soon followed by the encouragement to do so, and eventually by the expectation.
At this lamentable turning point in our state’s history, I urge the Catholic community and everyone of good will to refuse to participate in this inhumane practice and affirm our solidarity with the weak and the vulnerable. We should redouble our efforts to promote palliative care and commit ourselves to be caring companions of those who feel alone or abandoned as they approach the end of life. We hold in common our human dignity. We affirm this human bond when we care for one another and accompany each other, especially in the moments of need.
Rather than conforming oneself to the sway of popular distorted notions about personal freedom and autonomy, seek a better understanding of what this new law means: 1. Why physician-assisted-suicide poses such a grave threat not only to the poor, the weak and the vulnerable, but indeed to all of us; and 2. What our only loving and fitting responses should be to those brothers and sisters of ours who are suffering from terminal illnesses.
I encourage preachers and teachers to start a conversation in parishes, schools, and the home. The implementation of the new law is a “teachable moment” to speak clearly about the joyful truth of the gospel even in the anxious and confusing circumstances at the end of life.
In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us pray that all will embrace what St. John Paul II called “the way of love and true mercy” especially for those who are dying. Pray that no one will seek nor encourage another’s recourse to any form of suicide, whether assisted or not. Pray that each of us may more effectively and consistently show the tender face of God’s own mercy to those suffering at the end of their lives.
As the Bishops of California summarize on the webpage, Embracing our Dying: “If those who are dying are embraced by their family and their community, they will not seek death, but will live their last days well, and then accept death when it comes.”
Respectfully,
+Jaime Soto
Bishop of Sacramento
Dear Folks, We ARE UNDER ATTACK from WITHIN! The full article by © Marita Vargas has me shaken. Last paragraph from ‘Did R. Catholic Church create socialism in the US?’ @ renewamerica.com …..Those pictures of Pope Francis’ visit with President Obama this past September show two men who delight in each other’s company because they are in agreement on political matters. Barak Obama is advancing the Pope’s agenda by bringing European-styled socialism to our shores and driving us to our knees. If we have any sense at all while we our on our knees, we will pray to the God of heaven to deliver us.
Dear Folks, please read to be fully aware so we can pray for deliverance.
UNDER ATTACK AGAIN! Church (above) and now Government run amok. Remember back when, they said O’bamacare = Death panels was a LIE? The move to ‘assisted suicide’ is the next LIE to ease us onto the death panel pathway. (Sadly called ‘life pathway’ in the UK) Our POTUS uses any & all tactics to undermine America. Like: ideas from Alinsky or the G. Soros’ play books. If data about Alinsky & GS weren’t so available, this would sound a lot like a ‘crazy conspiracy’! Aren’t we supposed to seek truth to discern wisely?
(Look for: Alinsky rules & lists of GS funded agents/agencies @ https://www.discoverthenetworks.org) GOD BLESS Bishop Soto! PRAY!
This law has nothing to do with Obama or Obamacare. Please stick to the truth.
YFC, Technically, may be somewhat true today but this step is laying a foundation for future Obamacare regulations, which do include ‘death panels’. That is the premise. How did assisted suicide come to California? Did people vote? Are you for it? Is this being implemented by the government because they ALWAYS do the right thing? My opinion, it is naive to believe government will EVER fully disclose ‘death panels’ per say. Here’s what happened in the UK. The ‘death panels’ were labeled ‘life pathway’ but mean ‘NO care path to death’ & are part of UK healthcare system, administrated by hospital & doctors. Looking back, do you think the UK people thought it would go that way?
YFC, Are you ready for some truth? Have you read the June 8th article posted here regarding – Hospital & Hospice STARVING patients? The so called death panels are operational it would seem, as what else could this new NO CARE/NO DISCUSSION attitude be attributed to? How can you NOT blame the current POTUS for the unholy rules he signed into law? Some people don’t wake up until it happens to them, God forbid.
As the WORLD BURNS, in Rome: Pope Meets With Theologian Who Advocates Female Deacons. See article @ https://www.onepeterfive.com
It started on May 12th, 2016 with the pope’s casual statement of ‘setting up a committee to study deaconesses’ in the church. Today, only 3 weeks later, it has been reported that an international meeting ALREADY occurred on June 4th with advocates supporting female deacons. They (Sanders & Kressling from Germany) meet with the pope! Isn’t that called a set-up? God deliver us.
God bless Bishop Soto for speaking out.
GOD bless bishop Soto.
God Bless you Bishop Soto.
I couldn’t even “end” my own mother’s life when she was being Terry Schiavo-ed/starved to death by her own (non-Catholic) son whom had power of attorney. The suffering was enormous, here a woman that fed and clothed others her entire life was being starved to death. I tried to sneak her baby formula and was able to get a Priest there for last rites before I was banned from her home–the very home she fed hundreds from and was now being starved and drugged up (she didn’t even drink, she hated not having a clear mind) in. I found out later she died SIX WEEKS after I had to leave, alone AND NAKED.
She didn’t even have a terminal illness, and was not in pain, Kaiser Permanente had just tired of paying…
(Cont’d)
…Kaiser Permanente had just tired of paying for her 2x a year respiratory ER visits, and my brother had recently run into money issues, so during this fateful visit to the ER they agreed to invoke the power of attorney, which went to my brother, he took the opportunity to take control and have her starved to death, while clearing out her bank accounts before she was even transferred home to be drugged up (again, no illness that required painkillers, yet they loaded her up) and starved.
My point was that it is evil–sheer evil–to end a defenseless person’s life. I still hate my brother so much I cannot bring myself to utter “May God have mercy on his soul” –he doesn’t deserve any.
D’guest, So very sad. So sorry for your great loss. Your story is both heart and gut wrenching. I will offer my little prayers that our merciful God heal you and bring you peace someday when His time is right for you.