Catholic Faith And Medical Directives
“I know that, like all human persons, I will die. But I know that Jesus has through His death and resurrection conquered death, so that death has lost its sting (1 Cor. 15:55)”
As a Catholic, you believe in the moral teachings of the church and the sanctity of life. As such, a special and clearly stated advance medical directive is advised in keeping with your religious beliefs.
As a Catholic himself, Martin, Leyhe, Stuckmeyer & Associates LLC, knows that in recent years, many people have designed their medical directives so that extraordinary measures are not used to sustain life.
There are many considerations for this — cost is certainly a significant factor, but so, too, is a desire to leave a life well-lived, rather than languish with little consciousness of those around you.
Many of these directives, however, are not designed to adhere to the Catholic faith — many are written so that once a person is deemed terminal or otherwise incapacitated, and a decision has been made to end extraordinary life-saving measures, many hospitals and hospices also cease basic hydration and nutrition.
Living Your Faith — Now And Forever
This is in contradiction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, which teaches that withholding artificial food and water to hasten death, is a form of euthanasia — an act forbidden by the church.
We offer an advance medical care directive for Catholics. This medical directive has been reviewed by theologians and has been found to be compliant with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
If you are Catholic and you live in St. Charles, or the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, and you wish to have a medical directive that is in accordance with your faith, we can help. Call our office at 636-487-4097 or complete the online form to learn more from an experienced Missouri lawyer.