Saint
Thomas Aquinas Lecture
The
Reverend Tadeusz Pacholczyk,
Ph.D.
Director
of Education,
On
Sunday afternoon, January 27, 2008, at 2 o’clock P.M., to mark the
Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church, Saint Mary’s Parish
will present a lecture by the Reverend Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D., entitled “Making Morally
Informed Decisions in Serious Illness and at the End of Life.” The
lecture which is free and open to the public will take place in Saint Mary Church Hall,
After earning a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from
Father Tad
has testified before a number of State Legislatures during deliberations
over stem cell research and cloning, and
has given presentations and participated in roundtables on contemporary
bioethics throughout the U.S., Canada, and in Europe. He has done numerous
media commentaries, including appearances on CNN International, ABC World News
Tonight, and National Public Radio. He is Director of Education for The
National Catholic Bioethics Center in
There are many issues with significant moral implications
that individuals and families may have to face at times of grave illness, and
especially as death approaches. In
the face of such challenges, many persons find themselves
confused and bewildered.
What are our moral obligations with regard to choosing or
forgoing various medical treatments?
What do we mean by ordinary and extraordinary means? Can treatments which are deemed ordinary
from the medical point of view ever be considered morally and ethically
extraordinary? What about so-called
“living wills”; is it
perhaps preferable for patients to think in terms of appointing someone with durable power of attorney,
or as a proxy for health care decisions to make necessary decisions should they become
incapacitated? These and many other
questions suggest that Father Tad’s lecture will prove helpful to many
persons.
The following links may prove helpful:
Declaration
on Euthanasia - May 5, 1980
USCCB -
Pro-Life Activities - Euthanasia/End of Life Issues
NCBC: Workshop - Catholic
Teaching on End-of-life Issues
lifeissues.net
| A Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions
http://www.cathmed.org/pdf/cma_response_to_futility.pdf