Although many opponents of Church teaching claim Catholics only care about issues pertaining to the beginning of life, the Catholic Church has always maintained the sanctity and value of life through death as well.

Beyond the condemnation of clear intrinsic evils like euthanasia, there are also those aspects of end-of-life issues that require discernment and a healthy understanding of the Church’s teachings on these topics through a moral and ethical lens.

In other words, there are scenarios and circumstances that make it difficult to answer the question “is this the intentional killing of innocent life?”

Moreover, in an ever-dissolving moral culture, there are instances where healthcare “professionals” will not give the care they are both legally (although legislative efforts attacking end-of-life care continue to be made) and morally obligated to. This unfortunately requires higher levels of awareness and understanding among loved ones in charge of the care of dying family members or friends.