Pope Benedict XVI Calls on Doctors to Resist
The Vatican (LifeNews.com) -- Pope Benedict XVI addressed a conference on Monday and urged doctors and other medical professionals to resist getting involved in euthanasia or assisted suicide. He said the grisly practices fail to respect the dignity of people who are disabled, elderly or incurably ill. The speech came in an address to members of the Pontifical Academy for Life as the group began a two day conference on end of life issues. The Catholic leader reaffirmed the Church's strong teachings against assisted suicide and euthanasia saying Catholics should have a "firm and consistent ethical condemnation for all forms of direct euthanasia." He said "all of society, through its medical and civil institutions, is called to respect life and the dignity of the gravely ill and dying person." Pope Benedict also called for "death leave" -- whereby companies allow workers a chance to spend time with a loved one who is dying in the same way maternity leave is granted. He said "similar rights should be accorded to close family members at the moment the illness of their loved ones is at a terminal phase."
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