END OF LIFE ISSUES

"With regard to things, but even more with regard to life, man is not the absolute master and final judge, but rather - and this is where his incomparable greatness lies - he is the 'minister of God's plan.'

Life is entrusted to man as a treasure which must not be squandered, as a talent which must be used well. Man must render an account of it to his Master (cf. Mt 25:14-30; Lk 19:12-27)."

Taken from Evangelium Vitae - The Gospel of Life, an Encyclical Letter by John Paul II.

Catholic Health Care Directives
A resource from the North Dakota Catholic Conference

	Get Directives
	Bulletin Inserts

Three years ago, the North Dakota Catholic Conference (NDCC) published a Catholic health care directive that met North Dakota law, reflected Catholic teaching, and incorporated the advice of  health care providers, ethicists, lawyers, chaplains, and experienced laypersons.

The Catholic health care directive proved very popular.  Thousands were requested and sent out from the NDCC office.  Other state Catholic conferences and dioceses have used the documents as a model for their own advance directives.

NDCC has now revised the Catholic health care directive.  Don’t worry if you used the 2005 version.  It is still good.  The new version merely incorporates some facts learned during the last three years, makes it more user-friendly, and even a little shorter.

NDCC has also created a new website. The new site has an easy to use order/download form. You can download the copies you need or order multiple copies from the conference at no charge. The website also contains useful information on directives, end-of-life care, Catholic principles on health care decisions, bulletin inserts and links to additional information.

Please visit the new site and take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that health care decisions conform to your Catholic wishes.

Address of John Paul II
Saturday March 20, 2004

To the Participants in the International Congress of
"Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advantages and Ethical Dilemmas"

To read this address, click here.

Additional Literary Resources:

The Charter for Health Care Workers
Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, Vatican City, 1995
http://www.wf-f.org/healthcarecharter.html

Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services http://www.usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml

Nutrition and Hydration:
Moral and Pastoral Reflections, USCCB(1992)
http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/euthanas/nutindex.htm

Internet Resources:

The National Catholic Bioethics Center www.ncbcenter.org

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (Fourth Edition), 2001. www.usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml

Video & Audio resources available in the CEF Resource Center:

Faith unto Life, Hope unto Death, Love unto Eternal Life. 5-minute video on assisted suicide produced by the Michigan Catholic Conference in 1997. Glimpse at the Church's teaching on dying and death. Study guide helps facilitate further group discussion. Ask for #2480.

Physician-Assisted Suicide. 17-minute video presents the medical aspect of physician-assisted suicide with commentaries by professionals who care of the dying. Discussion guide provided. Produced by the Diocese of Brooklyn. Ask for #2360.

Feeding Helpless Patients: an audio collection from the Diocesan Pro-Life Directors and State Catholic Conference Directors 2005 Annual Meeting. Three CD's produced from the 2005 Annual Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ.
Disc 1: Feeding Helpless Patients - Legal & Political Status by Wesley Smith (Session 4)
Disc 2: Feeding Helpless Patients - Moral Teachings by Rev. Daniel Mindling (Session 5)
Disc 3: Feeding Helpless Patients - Medical by Dr. David Hess (Session 6)
Please contact Rachelle directly at 356-7910 for information on checking these CD's out.

End-of-Life Decisions Workshop offered for parishes:

The Respect Life Office sponsors an End-of-Life Decisions Workshop for parishes across the diocese. This workshop includes presentations on ethical concerns and moral decision making with end-of-life decisions; information on the Catholic Health Care Directive and; Cremation and Funerals in the Catholic Church. If you would like to schedule a workshop for your parish please contact Rachelle, 701-356-7910 or e-mail: rachelle.sauvageau@fargodiocese.org.

For questions or to request more information, please contact:

Rachelle Sauvageau, Director
Respect Life Office
5201 Bishops Blvd, Suite A
Fargo, ND 58104
701-356-7910

Diocese of Fargo
5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A
Fargo, ND 58104-7605
Phone: 701-356-7900
Contact us

© 2002-2008 by the Diocese of Fargo. The Catholic Diocese of Fargo takes full responsibility for the content of this Web site. Although sincere efforts have been made to offer links only to other Web sites whose content is faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Fargo is not responsible for the content of other Web sites accessible via links from this Web site. Web site last modified: November 20, 2008.

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