The Italian-Canadian Catholic association UCEMI recently organized a talk on the important topic of bioethics. Dr. Luigi Castagna, a well-known pediatric neurologist and chairman of the Bioethics Research Committee at Scarborough General Hospital, addressed a large crowd of the faithful, on Sunday February 20, at St. Bernard Parish, in North York. Dr. Castagna is also a member of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute and is part of the monthly bioethics workshops for students at the Newman Centre at the University of Toronto. In attendance, along with Giovanni Riccitelli, the president of UCEMI Toronto were a number of priests who serve the Italian community: Fr. Vitaliano Papais, Msgr. John Iverinci, Fr. Gianni Carparelli and Fr. Amedeo Nardone.
Dr. Castagna began his presentation and framed the whole issue saying that the topic of bioethics is large, filled with many hot-button issues and so only an overview was possible in a speech. Bioethics tries to better understand the moral concerns arising from the many new reproductive technologies and also from end-of-life issues, such as euthanasia and assisted-suicide. He mentioned two of the leading thinkers on this subject. Some great work is being done by Dr. Margaret Somerville in Canada and in the US by Dr. Edmund Pellegrino.Ethics is essentially to think about the values and principles that we use to make moral decisions in our lives. When we apply this moral code to medical and end-of life questions, we are dealing with bioethics matters. His talk was centred on bioethics from a Catholic perspective. The topics are numerous: euthanasia, assisted-suicide, stem-cell research and in vitro fertilization. Dr. Castagna told the audience that science alone cannot give all the answers to these questions. This where the teaching of the Catholic Church can help us. In order to deal with these issues ethically, we must keep in mind the meaning and dignity of the human person.
In Canada, presently euthanasia and assisted-suicide are illegal. Private member bills have been proposed in the House of Commons and in the Quebec Member of Parliament. However, the legislation has been defeated. In Quebec, currently hearings are continuing on legalizing euthanasia and assisted-suicide. There was reference here to Sue Rodrigues who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. She went as far as the Supreme Court of Canada in attempt to have a physician assist her to end her life. The Court in a 5-4 decision ruled that the Criminal Code ban on euthanasia and assisted-suicide were constitutional. This case raised the moral question, "Do we own our body?" The Catholic response is a resounding no; life is a gift of love from God.
“We need to do science with a moral responsibility”, Dr. Castagna said. “We have seen the horrors of utilitarian science during the Nazi regime and other harmful experiments done during the last century.” How to best use new scientific discoveries has divided both public opinion and that of scientists themselves. This has become more complicated because it has entered the political sphere. He said that when a society begins to seriously discuss end-of-life issues we must look for the real reasons behind the debate. A number of explanations are possible: the high cost of the heath care, our loss of the respect for life at all stages and the very questioning of the meaning of suffering. These reasons while they may serve to tell us about the changing life attitudes in our societ, should not be used to rationalize away our Christian moral and faith responsibilities.
Dr. Castagna gave examples of this from his work. He said he sees the important role of faith with his very young patients who are dying. Just because somebody is terminally ill should not mean we do not protect them from unethical procedures or from giving them the best care possible. The Catholic teaching on this is clear: the dignity and equality of persons is absolute; it's not conditional. Life must be respected from birth to natural death. The value of human life should not depend on the state of one's health: we are children of God, made in God's image and so our dignity comes from the inviolability of everyone's life.
In cases where we are dealing with palliative care, we must do all we can with medication and better care to alleviate pain and suffering as much as possible. On this issue, Dr. Castagna referred to the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, in its Charter for Health Care Workers. There they are reminded about how important it is for patients to know they are always in the presence of God’s love, even as they approach the last days of life. This can give even the dying person confidence and hope.
In the end, together with health care professional the Church can help Catholics make difficult choices when faced with life and death decisions. Science and religion, faith and reason do not need to be at odds, but can compliment one another.
