Citation

Charbonneau L. Studia Canonica 2018; 52(2): 375-405.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018)

DOI

10.2143/STC.52.2.3286248

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The A. was sensitized to the existential suffering which arises at the end of the life of the faithful who contemplate or chose assisted suicide or euthanasia and who request the sacraments of the end of life. Ministers are confronted with a dilemma: to administer, to postpone or to refuse the sacraments. The A. looks at legislative sources which give rise to these canonical and pastoral considerations, examines the canons which are pertinent to the faithful and their reception of sacraments and the rights of the faithful to sacraments. She considers some responses provided by Canadian bishops to these questions which relate to access to sacraments by the faithful who are contemplating or have chosen assisted suicide or euthanasia as well as a parallel source which proposes an approach to these faithful, an approach based on pastoral gradualness and not on a doctrinal gradualness. In conclusion, the A. asks a few questions to stimulate reflection about access to sacraments, about the options available to the faithful who believe they have been wronged in their right and about the invitation that is possibly being addressed to the Church, in the A.'s view, to consider assisted suicide and euthanasia as a sign of the times (GS nos 1-4). The A. proposes a compassionate and merciful approach, a process of discernment, accompaniment and integration of weakness to arrive at a decision to administer, postpone or refuse administration of the requested sacraments, an approach which could support a culture of life rather than a culture of death by assisted suicide or euthanasia. © 2018 Peeters Publishers. All rights reserved.

Language: fr