May

31

Living Will Legislation in Italy

May 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Italian Catholic bishops, who have battled with liberal legislators over a proposal to recognize same-sex unions, appear poised for a political battle on another front: the drive for living wills. reported by Catholic World News.The president of the Italian episcopal conference (CEI), Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, has signaled that the Church will oppose any living-will legislation that could open the door to euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Speaking to the CEI membership, Archbishop Bagnasco said that it is imprudent to think that instructions an individual provides at one point in his life will always be adequate to cover situations that arise later. The overriding objective, he said, must be to preserve “the sacred and inviolable value of the human person, from conception to natural death.”

The high-profile case of Piergiorgio Welby– a proponent of euthanasia who unsuccessfully sought court approval last year to end his own life in order to escape the advancing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease– triggered a strong impulse to reform Italian laws covering end-of-life treatment and the rights of terminal patients. Prime Minister Romano Prodi plans to introduce living-will legislation shortly, hoping a new law can be enacted by this summer.


Comments

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind