End-of-Life Decisions Pastoral Letter
On All Souls’ Day, the 4th edition of the Wisconsin’s Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter on end-of-life decisions, titled: “Now and at the Hour of Our Death” was released to the public. The letter voices the bishops’ concern and compassion for those facing critical end-of-life and funeral planning decisions. It provides moral guidance on the Church’s teaching regarding various treatment measures, such as life support, nutrition and hydration, pain management and overly-aggressive medical treatment. The letter also addresses the challenges faced by society today, noting the mounting threat of assisted suicide and euthanasia. It also provides information about funeral services that are, and those that are not, acceptable in the Catholic faith.
You can read the full letter and access other resources on a variety of end-of-life issues by visiting: www.wisconsincatholic.org/endoflife