Euthanasia is an example of a controversial human act that can be analyzed according to Catholic moral principles. It is defined as the taking of an innocent life of a patient who is suffering from an incurable and painful disease or an irreversible coma; the moral object is the killing of an innocent patient. An example of a plausible intention for this act is if two parents chose to euthanize their six-year-old male child to relieve him of suffering or to save him or the parents from the burden of his existence. For this reason, euthanasia is often referred to as “mercy killing.” Circumstances that seem reasonable for this example are resorting to this option because the young boy has been in a coma for several months and is living in a …show more content…
Euthanasia is a murderous act which goes against the Fifth Commandment: “You shall not kill.” In paragraph 2276 and 2277 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it says that the sick and handicapped should be helped and cared for in order to provide them with the most normal life possible for their circumstances. (Catholic Church 2276 and 2277) Regardless of the means and motives, killing the sick using euthanasia is morally unacceptable; however, as stated in paragraph 2279, painkillers can be given to the sick to alleviate their pain even if they will shorten the patient’s days as long as the death is not willed and only foreseen and tolerated. (Catholic Church 2279) Paragraph 2258 says that human life is sacred. The purpose of it is to spend life serving God and building a relationship with Him. (Catholic Church 2258) God created all humans in His image, and the value of each individual is not determined by fame, skills, wealth, or even an illness or debilitating physical condition. Value is found in the simple fact that humans are the children and creation of God. By willfully choosing to end the life of an individual, the doctors, relatives, and public officials take away God’s exclusive right to call an individual out of this world through