the movement for assisted suicide must

overcome the Judeo Christian

thinking

its advocates “must introduce our subject more

healthily into literature, media and the arts so that

it is as commonplace to read,

watch, or listen to, in our lives

as watching sporting events

or monitoring political news.”

Derek Humphry,

2004

The Culture of Death, he said, “sees the growing number of elderly and disabled people as intolerable and too burdensome. These people are very often isolated by their families and by society, which are organized almost exclusively on the basis of criteria of productive efficiency, according to which a hopelessly impaired life no longer has any value.”

John Paul II, EV 64

Human dignity is an endowment, not an achievement.

No disability diminishes this dignity, no illness obliterates it, nothing can separate us from the Love of God in Christ.    

Suicide…is something you talk yourself out

of, not into.

(John Hockenberry’s response to the questioning of friends)

While life as a person with with a disability does have its challenges, at the same time, it is certainly possible to live a happy and productive life.

It took many years of struggle to finally accept, with the help of spiritual direction,

that the grace—indeed the privilege—of my disability was that it is my unique way of

connecting with Jesus in his passion.

Studies show that “fear of pain” is not the primary reason for choosing physician-assisted suicide. Rather, disability-related reasons—“losing autonomy,” “losing dignity” and “burden on family” are more often cited.

Each of these concerns could be alleviated with the appropriate Medicaid services.

Also, there is a clear double standard: people with disabilities are readily hastened towards suicide, while nondisabled people are given psychiatric treatment.

Consider your own feelings about disability Learn disability etiquette Check out the toolkit at www.ncpd.org Integrate people with disabilities into the

parish community

God has blessed every person with gifts—I often say that people with

disabilities also have capabilities.

Quality of lifeBURDENSUFFERI

SUFFERI

NGNG

Subjective words ahead…

…used to make judgments about a person’s life and well-being

Read To Live Each Day with Dignity and sponsor study groups

Visit www.usccb.org/toliveeachday and www.ncpd.org

Contact your State Catholic Conference and join your diocesan legislative network

Contact diocesan offices for resources and training

Write letters to the editor

Take information packets to your elected officials

Be a presence of true compassion and support to someone who is elderly, lives with a significant disability or is near death.

Join people with chronic illness or disability in the fight against the legalization of physician-assisted suicide.

reach out to him or her…

encourage life-affirming treatment through counseling and medication as needed

To ask questions of panel members by computer:

Write your questions in the space provided at the bottom of your screen

Click ‘submit’

Download transcript and PowerPoint Order the webinar on DVD—

available soon

For a replay of this and archived webinars

Select a webinar under the “Webinars” navigation button and scroll to the bottom of the page to access the Toolkit Resources

Knights of Columbus

…without whom this webinar would not have been possible.

Please…

USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Live Activities

USCCB Office of Justice, Peace, and Human Development

Knights of Columbus

1. How well did the content of the webinar address your needs? Select one answer. ◦ a. Well addressed

◦ b. Addressed

◦ c. Neutral d

◦ . Not addressed

2. How do you intend to use this information? Select your top 3 priorities. a. Sponsor a speaker

b. Host a study group

c. Talk to parishioners, co-workers and friends about PAS

d. Let your legislators know where we stand on PAS

e. Write an article or letter to the editor

f. Read To Live Each Day With Dignity

g. Visit www.usccb.org/toliveeachday and www.ncpd.org

h. Contact diocesan office for resources

i. Other

3. In your opinion, what was the best part of the webinar?

4. What do you need that we did not provide?

5. List three topics in order of priority, that you would like us to cover on a future NCPD webinar.

6. How many people are viewing from your site?

7. Other comments.