THE head of Singapore's Catholic Church yesterday publicly condemned euthanasia, a topic that has grabbed headlines in recent weeks as the Government considers changes to the laws that govern dying. Archbishop Nicholas Chia wrote a letter on mercy killings that was read out during Sunday services at the country's 30-plus Catholic churches.
In it, he underlined the Church's views on death, describing euthanasia as 'immoral' and also calling on doctors to reject the practice.
'One cannot choose death and ask to be killed. When they do this, they are not only committing the crime of suicide, but also compounding it by making another person a partner in a crime,' he wrote.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan discussed the issue of euthanasia last month after it was raised in the press.
The Government has not proposed legalising the practice, but has broached the idea of making changes to the Advance Medical Directive, or living will. The document instructs doctors not to artificially prolong the life of a terminally-ill patient with machines. The changes would make it easier for Singaporeans to turn down that care.
Opponents say that is one step on the slippery slope to euthanasia, which the Catholic Church has long considered taboo alongside other controversial practices like abortion.
Archbishop Chia condemned mercy killings in his letter, which was read out All Souls' Day, the annual day of remembering the dead.
'One must not yield to another's person's request for euthanasia. To yield to such a request is false compassion,' he wrote to Singapore's 320,000-strong Catholic population.
'To have true compassion for the person is to understand (they are) actually feeling lost, confused, hopeless and alienated. Mercy entails supporting such person through care and friendship.'
The archbishop also called on doctors to reject mercy-killings, saying they were a violation of medical ethics. 'No health-care professionals must even contemplate the option of administering euthanasia,' he wrote.
The Head of the Catholic Medical Guild, a group of religious medical professionals, said she wholeheartedly agrees with the archbishop.
'Taking one's life or assisting another person to take his life is immoral,' said Dr Sally Ho.
Most times, people do not want to die, she said. Instead, they want to end the pain they are feeling, so ensuring patients receive proper palliative care is crucial.
The Catholic Church in its fortnightly newsletter had an article on euthanasia written by one of its priests. In the Catholic News, the priest said it is important to offer palliative care.
The Methodist and the Anglican churches, as well as the National Council of Churches, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
While several countries make it relatively easy for the terminally-ill to decline treatment, few have actually taken the step of allowing doctors to end the lives of patients. Only the Netherlands and the state of Oregon in the United States allow the controversial practice.
Archbishop Chia told The Straits Times in an interview yesterday: 'This is a matter of life and death. It is not up to you or me to decide.'
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(Source: ST)