A priest must inform a person contemplating an assisted suicide that this is a grave sin, Utrecht Cardinal Willem Eijk, Netherlands, told CatholicNewsAgency.com (December 17).
A trained medical doctor, Eijk explained that a priest may not be present at such a morally illicit act or previously administer the sacraments or plan the funeral, because this would imply that he backs it.
Thus, he refuted Curia Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia without naming him. Last week, Paglia suggested that priests “hold hands” with euthanasia volunteers.
After the Swiss Bishops had said that pastoral caregivers shouldn't be present during an assisted suicide, Paglia asked to “let go of the rules” and to “remove ideology" from assisted suicide, although Paglia needs to led go of his own suicide ideology.
Picture: Vincenzo Paglia, Willelm Eijk, #newsBzvznldzkk