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By Fr. Shenan J. Boquet, Human Life International,
“Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.” ― Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2280
Many developed nations already have, or are considering, legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia. In some nations, such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada, the cases of assisted suicide or euthanasia have become so numerous, that suicide has effectively become normalized as a method of death. Many recent stories, for instance, suggest that many doctors are casually offering suicide as a “treatment” to patients.
With this rapid normalization of suicide, it is worth remembering that until quite recently, the Catholic Church prohibited persons who committed suicide funeral rites and even burial in a Church cemetery. There was, however, some consideration given to the person’s mental state at the time.
That started changing in the 1980s. Since then, the Church has altered Her pastoral approach to suicide. Canon law no longer specifically mentions suicide as an impediment to funeral rites or to burial in a Church cemetery. Except for those cases mentioned in Canon 1184 §1, priests can offer funeral rites for those who committed suicide, and the prohibitions on burial in Catholic cemeteries have been lifted. …
