CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION OF POLISH DOCTORS AGAINST EUTHANASIA OF CHILDREN

The Catholic Association of Polish Doctors expressed a protest against the law enacted in Russia, allowing for euthanasia of children in Belgium. Dr. of Medical Science Wanda Terlecka – the chairman of the Association – informed ‘Niedziela’ that special letters had been sent to the king of Belgium Philip, the Parliament of Belgium and the Chairman of the Belgium Episcopal Conference. Doctors appealed to the king of Belgium Philip not to sign the act accepted by the parliament of Belgium. In the letter sent to the king Philip they state: ‘Every child, both the one who is defenseless, especially the suffering one, needs care of an adult. Only love can be the answer of adults’ world to the innocent suffering of children. Killing a child, according to the majesty of law, when the child is calling for help and care, is the biggest lawlessness’. Catholic doctors emphasize that ‘euthanasia in any form and towards anybody, especially towards a child, is departure from humankind and the civilizational society. Nobody is allowed to keep silent towards such rights, so as not to become a wordless and indifferent witness of crime’. Referring to the Christian roots of Europe, authors of the letter remind that the duty of doctors is guarding the great and holy value of life ‘and we are not their trustees but servants’. In the end of the letter, the Association appeals: ‘Through memory for the heroic testimony of faith of the king Baudouin I, we are asking Your Majesty to take the side of life of innocent suffering children and give a clear testimony opposing the evil, included in unjust and immoral laws enacted by the man’.

In the letter of the Catholic Association of Doctors to archbishop Andre-Jospeh Leonardo – the chairman of the Belgium Episcopal Conference, there are words of solidarity and spiritual support in the explicit opting for life, ‘despite such a big campaign of hatred and raise aversion towards the teaching of the Catholic Church in the defence of life’. ‘We are solidary with everybody who are listening to the voice of their Pastors on the Belgium land and oppose to the disgrace of the contemporary civilization, which is the right to euthanasia of children with the consent of their own parents’ – write doctors.

In the appeal in the defence of children sent to the deputies of the Belgium parliament, we read: ‘In the name of God, Creator of all people, in the name of every suffering child, we are asking You to realize the fact that nobody appointed You owners of life and death and you must give up the inhuman law, before it takes away life from the innocent, and pushes parents, plunged in desperation of suffering children, to make dramatic decisions, give their consent to death of their offspring’.

The act of the Belgium parliament raised a wave of protests on the whole continent. Under the patronage of the Spanish Foundation ‘Citizen Go’, there was an action carried out, in order to collect signatures under the appeal to the king of Belgium Philip, not to sign the act. The action was suggested by a married couple from Vienna Gudrun and Martin Kugler, parents of four children. In the statement for media, the Austrian married couple noted: ‘It is not only Belgium law, it is also being applied in Europe and even in the whole world. Hence we have a right to speak on this issue, which might seem a purely Belgium problem at the first sight’. Therefore, the following words have been included in the petition: ‘We, concerned citizens of Europe – are writing to King in order to encourage everyone to vote against this act, even in the situation in which such a decision will be a big challenge. We are asking for not agreeing to this Act whose content is the most terrifying law about euthanasia in the whole world. We are asking Your Majesty to listen to your conscience. We are asking to maintain an attitude of the monarch for whom ethical values have fundamental significance’. Over 200 thousand signatures have been collected under the petition. (Editors)

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"Niedziela" 8/2014

Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski • E-mail: redakcja@niedziela.pl