Should extraordinary means be used to keep a dying person alive?
Monsignor James J. Mulligan, Northampton, director of programs for priestly life and ministry for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, explained that there's no easy answer, as part of a panel discussing “The Final Journey” Tuesday at Riveredge, Greenfields.
Mulligan was joined by a professor, a rabbi and a Mennonite layman in presenting ethical, cultural and spiritual perspectives on dying to about 75 people, under the sponsorship of the Berks End of Life Care Coalition.
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And he warned against making “quality of life” the criterion, since it can be defined differently, “Don't assume that someone else's life is not worth living,” he asserted.
All the panelists were later asked about their position in the Terri Schiavo case.
All claimed they didn't have enough information to make a definitive choice “I don't trust what I read in the paper,” said Mulligan and all complained about the extraneous issues. But three came down on not ending her life.
Mulligan cited the husband's desire to get married, his failure to turn over custody to her parents, the judge's ruling that she could not be fed by other means.
“If I'm going to err on any side, it would be toward life,” said John Stoltzfus, a registered respiratory therapist from Lancaster County.
“I was on the side of life,” said Rabbi Yosef Lipsker of Shomrei Habrith Synagogue. “They caused her to die.”
End-of-life issues: no easy answers
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