The Catholic bishops of Wisconsin have recently issued the fourth edition of their pastoral letter "Now and at the Hour of Our Death."
Talking about and facing end of life planning can be difficult, but this letter helps foster conversations and answer questions related to end of life decision-making utilizing the Church’s teaching. It includes guidance for those facing health issues, as well as for those who care for them. It covers issues such as: assisted suicide and euthanasia, ordinary and extraordinary measures of sustaining life, palliative care and hospice, pain management, redemptive suffering, funeral planning, burial and cremation, power of attorney for health care, and more.
Watch my video message about this important and timely letter below.
Read the Pastoral Letter at the PDF below
Please also visit wisconsincatholic.org/endoflife for links to even more resources on end-of-life planning. Of special interest are the following links and documents:
- Wisconsin Power of Attorney for Healthcare form (linked)
- Wisconsin Catholic Conference Catholic Addendum to the Power of Attorney Form (attached; for Catholics who want to prepare for the end of their lives according to Catholic teaching)
- WCC Non-Catholic Addendum to the Power of Attorney Form (attached; for those who are not Catholic but who want to prepare for the end of their lives according to Catholic teaching)
- Catholic Authorization for Final Disposition form (attached; a form that allows Catholics to declare their wishes for a Catholic funeral and burial, and/or allowing them to delegate the authority to do so to another person)
Los obispos católicos de Wisconsin publicaron la cuarta edición de su carta pastoral "Ahora y en la Hora de Nuestra Muerte." Esta carta proporciona la guía moral de la Iglesia y los recursos útiles para ayudar a prepararse para el final de la vida y aliviar parte del dolor, la tristeza y la ansiedad que conlleva la muerte.
La carta incluye enseñanzas de la Iglesia sobre una amplia variedad de cuestiones relacionadas con el final de la vida, entre ellas: suicidio asistido y la eutanasia, medidas ordinarias y extraordinarias, medidas abandonadas o suspendidas, alimentación e hidratación, cuidados paliativos y hospicio, manejo del dolor, sufrimiento que redime, donación de órganos, y más.
Mire mi mensaje en video sobre esta importante y oportuna carta a continuación.
Lea la carta completa:
Visite también wisconsincatholic.org/endoflife para obtener enlaces a aún más recursos sobre la planificación para el final de la vida. De especial interés son los siguientes enlaces y documentos:
- El formulario de Poder notariado para la atención médica de Wisconsin
- El anexo católico al Poder notariado para la atención médica de Wisconsin
- El anexo no católico al Poder notariado para la atención médica de Wisconsin
- Autorización católica para la disposición final