Darwin bishop ready to champion ‘value of Christian life’ as … – Catholic Leader

DARWIN Bishop Charles Gauci is preparing to publicly champion the value of Christian life after the Northern Territory government this week announced it would set up an advisory panel on euthanasia laws.

On July 22, the NT government announced a panel would carry out community consultation about voluntary assisted dying and provide an independent report to policymakers by July next year.

As the Churchs chief advocate and current president of the Northern Territorys Council of Churches, Bishop Gauci expects to be in the public eye defending the dignity of the human person and pointing out the pitfalls of euthanasia.

I certainly wont be watering anything down, Bishop Guaci said.

I intend to have a respectful but clear and solid conversation about the whole issue and to share information about what the experience has been in other places where euthanasia has been legalised, not just in Australia but in other countries.

In the end we surrender to Gods will. As Christians, we trust in Gods will and in the end God has the final say when its time to go we dont make that decision ourselves.

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said an advisory panel would examine the structure of how voluntary assisted dying policy could be developed, not whether it should be implemented.

The move follows years of advocacy by families seeking voluntary assisted dying in the Territory.

One of those advocates is Judy Dent whose husband Bob Dent became the first person in the world to die by legal voluntary euthanasia in 1996, under the NTs landmark Rights of the Terminally Ill Act.

Soon after, however, the federal government stripped both the Northern Territory and the ACT of their right to enact euthanasia laws a right that was restored in December last year.

Bishop Gauci, who celebrates 46 years as a priest this year, has written a letter to all NT Catholics explaining his own experience ministering to the elderly and coming to understand the importance of dying.

We as Christians believe that we are on a journey of continuous growth and our destiny is to be in the fullness of life with Christ and the communion of saints. Dying is an important part of living, he said.

It is an important part of letting go of ego and really preparing to embrace fullness of love and fullness of life.

Now I have seen people change through the experience of good pastoral care people who have been angry for years mellowing and making peace.

Bishop Gauci said he would use public discussion about euthanasia to press for improved quality of palliative care offered in the Northern Territory as well as ways to improve pastoral care for people suffering from serious and terminal illnesses.

I have no delusions that it can a very uncomfortable process and sometimes quite painful we dont deny that reality.

Im very sensitive that there are people taking their lives in suicide and how important that we care pastorally for those families who have been involved in that.

However we believe that ultimately death is not something that we can bring about deliberately ourselves.

Life is a gift from God which we cherish. Theres a very clear understanding from the Commandments and the Spirit-led understanding of our tradition that we dont do things deliberately to hasten death.

Having said that, it doesnt mean that we dont help people die with dignity in the natural process, helping them to die comfortably.

Some of the medication may inadvertently (and I repeat inadvertently) hasten the time of death but thats not the intention. The intended reason is to alleviate pain for those people in the last moments of life.

Former NT administrator Vicki OHalloran and senior counsel Duncan McConnel have been appointed as co-chairs of the advisory panel due to report to government by mid 2024.

Other panellists will be appointed based on expertise in end-of-life health care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural matters, justice, and social welfare policy.

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Darwin bishop ready to champion 'value of Christian life' as ... - Catholic Leader