October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church. It is a time to reflect on the gift of life more deeply, to renew and increase our commitment to promoting a culture of life through prayer and action, and to recognize the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. Every week of the month, I will be sharing a post on one of the many life issues in our world today.
Assisted suicide, also commonly called physician-assisted suicide is a practice that is increasing throughout the world and throughout the United States as 10 states plus Washington DC have legalized it, with the potential for more to move in this direction. This evil and sad practice, disguised as something compassionate speaks volumes to the culture of death.
When I was in high school, there was a story in the news and media that I vividly remember, as it spread across the country. The name Brittany Maynard quickly became known to many people all across the nation. And what followed her name was the phrase “death with dignity.” This was the first time I can recall hearing about physician assisted suicide. Brittany was a young woman, only 29 years old, suffering with terminal brain cancer. Her story was truly heart-breaking and I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that came with her brain cancer. She went to Oregon, a state that has a “Death with Dignity” law, allowing terminally ill individuals to end their lives with medication from a physician. She unfortunately made the choice to end her life in 2014. Her choice was applauded by countless people, she was lauded as a hero and elevated as someone with great bravery and courage. As I followed this story, I felt sad that this was an option in parts of the country.
Our lives are not ours to take. God is the creator and author of our lives, which means life must always be respected and protected from conception to natural death. When a person ends his or her own life through suicide, no one celebrates that. So why do people accept assisted suicide and see it as good?
Suffering is a reality of life. Some suffering takes away a person’s ability to do the things they used to do, to care for themselves, and to enjoy different activities. But this does not diminish the person’s value. A person’s value and dignity does not come from what they can achieve or accomplish, but it comes from God, and the simple fact of one’s existence is what gives that value. There should be a greater focus on palliative care, medicine, and treatment options wherever possible and helping a person through their suffering in however much time they have left.
A few days ago, I read a story about a young woman in Colorado who had an eating disorder. Instead of being treated for that, the doctors gave her lethal drugs to end her life. (Thankfully, her dad was able to intervene and destroy the drugs.). This is the dangerous path that the legalization of assisted suicide can and will continue to go. The elderly, seriously ill, and disabled may start to be seen more as burdens. But as Catholics and Christians, we know that people are blessings and not burdens.
People in our lives who experience any sort of suffering, whether major and long term, or minor and temporary, give us the opportunity to love and to serve, to be Christ to them and also see Christ in them. Let us pray often for those who feel like choosing to end their lives is their only choice and for those in the medical field who agree to assisted suicide, that they would instead respect life in each and every person in front of them.
This is another topic that comes with a lot to learn, especially as it has become more prevalent. A great book to read is On Assisted Suicide by Stephanie Gray Connors. It is another book of hers that is part of The Dignity Series through Word on Fire.
“Each of us is called to be a witness to the Gospel of Life, proclaiming in word and deed the innate goodness and dignity of every human person” (Thomas).
Thomas, Daniel E. 2025 Respect Life Month Statement. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oct. 2025, https://www.usccb.org/resources/2025-respect-life-month-statement.
Faith and The Good Stuff 