Stephanie Gray implores St. Patrick crowd to seek alternative ways of treating end-of-life problems
The B.C. Catholic
Civilization is always tested by the way it cares for its most helpless people, said Stephanie Gray.
“Right now, in our country, we’re taking a test,” she said. “Whether we pass or fail that test is determined by what’s going to happen in the coming days with regards to Bill C-14, which is an effort to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.”
Gray, founder of Love Unleashes Life, spoke May 20 at St. Patrick’s Parish about addressing the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide.
“There are people of faith who are being misled by the culture to think that assisted suicide and euthanasia are morally acceptable, so we need to be able to speak their language, but we also need to be able to speak to people who aren’t religious.”
She noted the tendency of barbaric societies to embrace killing, and the importance of rejecting such a notion. “Euthanasia and assisted suicide are wrong because they involve one person assisting or committing the intentional killing of another person,” said Gray.
“Civil societies consider human beings to have inherent dignity and worth, and acknowledge that everyone has a right to life.”
Even if a person wishes for death, that does not make death the correct response to their request, Gray added. “If it is okay to kill someone when they request it, but not okay when they do not request it, then killing innocent people cannot be considered inherently wrong; instead, it can only be considered conditionally wrong.”
“The danger with that is this: who decides the conditions?”
Instead of seeking death, Gray suggests alternatives for those suffering towards life’s end. “One thing we cannot do is take away the fact that the person is dying.
“Proponents of euthanasia may characterize opponents of euthanasia as people who want to keep others alive forever, but that is not true. Instead, they let nature take its course while offering physical and emotional comfort” through palliative care.
The event, which was sponsored by St. Patrick’s Young Adult Ministry, was staged to “deepen the relationship of young adults with Christ by becoming intentional disciples,” said Genesis Rigor, a youth ministry coordinator. “We believe that one aspect of our Catholic faith that achieves this is being aware and participating in service and justice.”
“We are hoping that people will be equipped (by Gray’s presentation) to be able to defend, with reason and grace, the logic of the position against euthanasia and assisted suicide. We hope they will also be inspired to stand up and be a voice for the vulnerable so as to protect the weak and to safeguard our Christian values and beliefs.”
While it is understandable some individuals consider euthanasia to be a mission of mercy, Gray believes the answer lies with other methods, such as pairing retirement home patients with preschool children.
“We need to get creative and imaginative in our responses” to end-of-life issues, she said. “If we focus on that creativity, then I think we pass the test of civilization.”
