by Bishop James Conley
Stop and think about how research and technology has affected health care. If your great-great grandparent served as a doctor or nurse, imagine them walking into a hospital or cancer center today. They would most likely be astonished at the advancement in the medical technology and knowledge used to treat patients compared to what they had available. Decades from now, if your great-great grandchildren study medicine, they too will most likely be astonished at the level of medicine today, compared to what they will most likely encounter years from now.
Health care is constantly evolving. In many instances, that is for the good, helping us better manage diseases and even our aches and pains. However, new technology and changing medical practices can also present ethical dilemmas we must address.
The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln is joining with a nationally recognized Catholic organization to make available to you resources and personal consultations to help navigate decisions regarding health care issues such as end-of-life-care, abortion, contraception, euthanasia and many others.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) has been dealing with these kinds of questions since it was founded in 1972. You may recognize the name of the organization from columns in the Southern Nebraska Register by NCBC Senior Ethicist Father Tad Pacholczyk. The center’s mission includes “…providing education, guidance and resources to the Church and society to uphold the dignity of the human person in health care and biomedical research, thereby sharing in the ministry of Jesus Christ and his Church.”
I am familiar with the work of the NCBC which includes a biennial workshop for bishops to provide ongoing formation on bioethical issues. Bishops from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Philippines attend the workshop, which is held in collaboration with the Knights of Columbus. Through that interaction with the NCBC, I have come to know the organization and trust it to lead the way on medical ethics issues from an authentically Catholic perspective.
I have looked to the NCBC for advice and guidance regarding bioethical issues for my entire priesthood. Over these past 10 years in my role as the National Episcopal Advisor to the Catholic Medical Association, the NCBC has been an invaluable resource to me and to Catholic physicians across the country.
The partnership the diocese has entered into with the NCBC will make available to all of our parishioners important resources. These include three end-of-life guides. A Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions explains core concepts in medical decision-making, including redemptive suffering, ordinary and extraordinary means, and advance care planning. The guide also includes templates for a health care proxy and a living will.
A Catholic Guide to POLST provides guidance for filling out documents that patients can use to document their treatment preferences across multiple health care settings, including benefits and concerns with common forms. The guide also includes a template physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST).
The third booklet, A Catholic Guide to Palliative Care and Hospice, describes the differences between palliative care and hospice, and identifies common moral issues that can arise when receiving hospice. The guide also includes a checklist for evaluating programs and facilities.
You will eventually be able to find these guides at your local parish and on the diocesan website at lincolndiocese.org/bioethics. You can also look for additional resources either in your bulletin or on your parish and diocesan websites. Those include The Bioethics Public Policy Report, which summarizes legislative, regulatory and judicial developments on life issues; Living a Catholic Life, which introduces parishioners to different tools for thinking like a Catholic; and Father Pacholczyk’s column, Making Sense of Bioethics.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center will also make available resources for adult education and study groups and offer tuition discounts for parish and diocesan staff on its courses and seminars.
One of the best parts of this partnership is the free professional consultation service, available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to our parishioners. It equips you with reliable references, thorough explanations and case-based guidance, so you can form your conscience with Catholic teaching when making health care decisions. The consultations cover topics including end-of-life care, assisted nourishment, and hospice; avoiding, achieving, or managing pregnancy; biomedical research; cooperating with the wrongdoing of others; and many more.
The one-on-one consultations, offering explanations of Church teachings and their practical applications, are there for you when faced with complex and difficult decisions. This service is not just a hotline; it is a lifeline to assist you on your ethical journey.
Our decision to join with the National Catholic Bioethics Center is not one based on administrative assistance, but instead, pastoral commitment. We want to journey with you as one Church as you face these ethical decisions. You are not alone. We stand with you, ready to offer support, understanding and the full faith, trust and guidance of Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church.
It is my hope this new partnership will not only aid you in your time of need, but also lead the way in creating a society grounded in the principles of compassion, respect, truth and the sanctity of life. Let us shine forth a light in this important area of health care that will guide our family, our neighbors and our entire community.
Look for more information to come at both the parish and diocesan level. I hope you will take advantage of these resources when you are faced with difficult medical ethics issues. Health care is certainly more complex than it was in the time of our great-great grandparents, but let us work together to build an ethical decision-making foundation that will help us – and our great-great grandchildren – weather the storms we may face ahead.
