Organ Donation printable pdf download

INSTRUCTIONS:

The care and treatment of dying patients, living wills, and advance directives concerns

all of us today. Economic, legal and technological considerations often seem to outweigh

human dignity toward the end of life.

Catholic doctrine teaches that each life is created by God in His image and is therefore

sacred. Our life is a sacred gift from God and we should treat it as that sacred gift. We have

an obligation to sustain our lives. Catholic doctrine never condones the intentional termination

of anyone’s life.

The Church does allow us to accept a natural death, hence, Catholics can refuse

extraordinary or disproportionate medical treatment to maintain life, when the only effect of the

treatment would be to prolong the dying process.

The Church does not consider administering food and water to be extraordinary or

disproportionate medical treatment. The Catholic Bishops of Louisiana issued a statement on

the dignity of human life in July 2006. In this statement, the bishops outlined

Catholic doctrine on the subject of living wills. In the situation of a “persistent vegetative state,”

such as the Terry Schiavo case, Catholic doctrine allows the removal of a gastric feeding tube

only when death is imminent or when the body is unable to assimilate the hydration and

nutrition.

Louisiana law is muddled on this issue. Prior to the 2005 legislative session, Louisiana

law presumed that anyone who executed a living will did not desire nutrition and hydration to

maintain their life if they were in a persistent vegetative state. The legislature in 2005 passed

Act 447, which was to clarify how Louisiana law addressed the issue of providing nutrition and

hydration to patients in a persistent vegetative state. That Act at one point says that it will NOT

be presumed that the patient desires the administration of nutrition and hydration, and at

another point, it says that human life is of the highest and inestimable value and that any

ambiguity in the act shall be interpreted in favor of preserving life. If you have executed a

living will that doesn’t specifically state your wishes, your wishes may not be carried

out.

We offer here a form for a Health Care Advanced Directive for Catholics. This conforms

with Catholic Doctrine and Louisiana law on this subject.

This Declaration provides instructions for treatment in a terminal illness. We also

recommend that you designate a health care surrogate, who can speak for you when you

cannot speak for yourself, whether terminal or not. Each of these documents should be

discussed with family members and the health care surrogate while the signer is competent.

Other documents are helpful in conditions that are not terminal, but involve possible

incapacity or incompetency, such as a Durable Power-of-Attorney. Moral, legal and medical

questions might well be referred to one's pastor, attorney or physician.

Who can be a witness? These declarations must be signed in the presence of two

witnesses. Those witnesses must be at least eighteen years of age and mentally competent.

They cannot be related to you by blood or marriage, nor can they be someone who will receive

property upon your death.

Organ Donation