The Irish Bishops’ Conference has designated Sunday 13 October as the Day for Life 2002, and the issue being addressed this year is Euthanasia. In his 1995 encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), Pope John Paul II proposed that ‘a day for life be celebrated each year in every country’. The primary purpose of this day should be ‘to foster in individual consciences, in families, in the Church and in civil society a recognition of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition’. To mark the Day for Life 2002, a booklet “End of Life Care – Ethical and Pastoral Issues” from the Irish Bishops’ Committee for Bioethics was launched at a reception in Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin this afternoon (Monday 7 October). [Click here for Summary] The text of a Pastoral Letter “Living with Dying” from the Irish Catholic Bishops was also released. [Click here for full text] Speakers at the reception included Dr Donal Murray (Bishop of Limerick and Chairman of the Irish Bishops’ Committee for Bioethics) and Dr Liam O’Siorain (Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Medical Director of Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross). Ends 7 October 2002 NOTE TO EDITORS: · The full text of the Pastoral Letter “Living with Dying” is attached and is also available on the Catholic Communications Office Web-site: www.catholiccommunications.ie · The full text of the booklet “End of Life Care – Ethical and Pastoral Issues” is published by Veritas at €2.50 and is also available from the Catholic Communications Office. Further information: Catholic Communications Office: (01) 505 3000 Fr Martin Clarke: (087) 220 8044 Ms Brenda Drumm (087) 233 7797 |