Woman, 29, Will End Her Life In Nov. 1

[BarbTherese]

I don't think it's safe to say she is in a perfect state of mind. Not many facing death do so with a clear Dumbledore-esque state of mind.

 

Reading this reminded me of St Therese who commented in her last days that she rejoiced that the medicine cupboard and poisons were not within her reach (or similar).  Never having suffered terribly while awaiting sure death, I can only pray in good health to St Joseph for a holy death and for the fortitude and Faith to face what I must face, if I must.  And I can know that I cannot pass any judgement whatsoever on those who may be facing sure death in any way.  I tend to think that probably the best just might not be thinking in a "clear Dumbledore-esque state of mind"..........short of a real miracle of Grace and it does happen.

 

I think that the last days of St Therese has as much to say to me as the rest of her life, if indeed not more.

 "Suicide: Insights from St Therese" http://www.mountainrunnerdoc.com/page/page/4264578.htm
 

[Credo in Deum]

Brittany Maynard ended her life on Saturday.

Prayers for her family and for the repose of her soul. Also prayers to end this sad view people have that our dignity is found only in the quality of life we live or could live.

[Lil Red]

Fr. Brian posted this on his Facebook: 

 

My facebook feed is lighting up with every other post on Brittany Maynard, a young woman diagnosed with terminal Cancer who chose to take her life before succumbing to the effects of the Cancer itself.

And, while the media is commending her for "dying with dignity" and being responsible for her own life, it is much deeper than that, actually, it is quite simple, Brittany feared suffering more than she feared death, she was so worried about what would happen that she couldn't bear the thought of what might happen. Many people are commending her for her courage, but her only strength was in her conviction that she would rather die than suffer.

Yet, fear is more debilitating than suffering itself. In fact, while I have no idea how she felt, what she experienced, I do know a little bit about suffering, and the thing about suffering is that, contrary to what we might think, it doesn't make us weaker, it makes us stronger. While our body may not function in the way we want, we make up for it by becoming stronger, emotionally, psychologically and, of course, spiritually. Look at St. John Paul II, the man could barely speak, he could barely hold a microphone, people wondered why he himself didn't take his own life, and the reason was because he practiced what he preached.

This is a pope whose sole message was about the dignity of the human person, and how a person still has dignity whether he is in the womb or taking his final breath on earth, and he showed the world that even though he was severely unable to do the most simple of tasks, he was and is still a person.

Sometimes the thought of what might happen, the thought of what we are convinced will happen is enough to scare us, but, truth be told, we don't know what will happen, we don't know what tomorrow will bring, only God does. In fact, I went into the operating room not knowing whether that was the last time I would ever be there, I would ever be on earth. And, while I can say now I was sicker than I have ever been in my life, I didn't know whether I would ever get better, but I didn't choose to "die with dignity," I didn't choose to take my life in my hands, instead, I chose to trust in God, no matter what, and if I hadn't, I might not be here today.

I pray for Brittany, but I also lament her decision, because she let fear get the best of her, yet that fear drives our revulsion to suffering, but suffering does have a benefit, it has a redemptive quality, we need only to look to Jesus to see this to be true, we only need to see how strong we become when we suffer for a time.

Suffering is scary but what's worse is being afraid to live and letting that fear conquer our lives.

May God be with Brittany now as she makes her final journey to her eternal dwelling.

 

[Credo in Deum]

Fr. Brian posted this on his Facebook:

My facebook feed is lighting up with every other post on Brittany Maynard, a young woman diagnosed with terminal Cancer who chose to take her life before succumbing to the effects of the Cancer itself.

And, while the media is commending her for "dying with dignity" and being responsible for her own life, it is much deeper than that, actually, it is quite simple, Brittany feared suffering more than she feared death, she was so worried about what would happen that she couldn't bear the thought of what might happen. Many people are commending her for her courage, but her only strength was in her conviction that she would rather die than suffer.
Yet, fear is more debilitating than suffering itself. In fact, while I have no idea how she felt, what she experienced, I do know a little bit about suffering, and the thing about suffering is that, contrary to what we might think, it doesn't make us weaker, it makes us stronger. While our body may not function in the way we want, we make up for it by becoming stronger, emotionally, psychologically and, of course, spiritually. Look at St. John Paul II, the man could barely speak, he could barely hold a microphone, people wondered why he himself didn't take his own life, and the reason was because he practiced what he preached.
This is a pope whose sole message was about the dignity of the human person, and how a person still has dignity whether he is in the womb or taking his final breath on earth, and he showed the world that even though he was severely unable to do the most simple of tasks, he was and is still a person.
Sometimes the thought of what might happen, the thought of what we are convinced will happen is enough to scare us, but, truth be told, we don't know what will happen, we don't know what tomorrow will bring, only God does. In fact, I went into the operating room not knowing whether that was the last time I would ever be there, I would ever be on earth. And, while I can say now I was sicker than I have ever been in my life, I didn't know whether I would ever get better, but I didn't choose to "die with dignity," I didn't choose to take my life in my hands, instead, I chose to trust in God, no matter what, and if I hadn't, I might not be here today.
I pray for Brittany, but I also lament her decision, because she let fear get the best of her, yet that fear drives our revulsion to suffering, but suffering does have a benefit, it has a redemptive quality, we need only to look to Jesus to see this to be true, we only need to see how strong we become when we suffer for a time.
Suffering is scary but what's worse is being afraid to live and letting that fear conquer our lives.
May God be with Brittany now as she makes her final journey to her eternal dwelling.

I do not understand how others can call this brave and courageous. The definitions of those words do not describe her choice. Bravery and courage is to face fear and pain and to contnue and hope when things look hopeless. They describe one who is fearless and suffers, etc. It's scary that so many are calling suicied brave and courageous.

[Guest]

I'm sure God will understand and embrace her with unconditional love and open arms. Even though some will say or even hope she's in hell or "paying the price" in purgatory. They would have you believe an all loving God that placed her in a cold broken world where she would have terminal cancer before 30 is now upset and disappointed or better yet ANGRY that she was such a "coward". Some of the comments I've read on this make me shake my head. I really am left in awe. Godbless your soul Brittany and may you rest in peace.

Edited November 3, 2014 by Guest

[Guest]

"For people to argue against this choice for sick people really seems evil to me," she told PEOPLE. "They try to mix it up with suicide and that's really unfair, because there's not a single part of me that wants to die. But I am dying." 

[Guest]

I love how Father Brian with the last line leaves open the possibility she may be in hell. Because surely that's where a loving God would let her end up. I mean she's a coward. She killed herself. Only if everybody could be a great Catholic. You let us down Brittany smh

Edited November 3, 2014 by Guest

[Guest]

Sick world...

[BarbTherese]

This is where I think as Catholics we can fall down - we have a moral law and beliefs and we wield them like a fiery sword at times.........there is a sort of implied violence in it all.   We can fall down on the love and compassion side and treat some others as damned sinners destined to an eternity in Hell and to be avoided, never the types for us to sit down and dine with in an atmosphere of friendship ............and more implied violence. 

It is sad,.........and damaging. 

 

[penguin31]

Such pain and suffering needed to cause one to think that ending their life is the best course of action.  Sincerest prayers for all involved, for the departed, for her family, and for all those suffering with the burden of long term and/or terminal illnesses.

[Guest]

Father Brian says her ONLY strength was in her conviction that she would rather die then suffer. Even though Brittany said there's not a single part of me that wants to die but yet I'm dying. Leave the poor dead girl alone Father and as far as her strengths go I'm guessing she had more then one and a lot more then most of us.

[Credo in Deum]

I love how Father Brian with the last line leaves open the possibility she may be in hell. Because surely that's where a loving God would let her end up. I mean she's a coward. She killed herself. Only if everybody could be a great Catholic. You let us down Brittany smh

 

You prefer a priest not speak the truth?   The sad reality Josh, is that while Brittany could be in purgatory the other side is that she very well could be in Hell.  

 

This is where I think as Catholics we can fall down - we have a moral law and beliefs and we wield them like a fiery sword at times.........there is a sort of implied violence in it all.   We can fall down on the love and compassion side and treat some others as damned sinners destined to an eternity in Hell and to be avoided, never the types for us to sit down and dine with in an atmosphere of friendship ............and more implied violence. 

It is sad,.........and damaging. 

 

No one here is treating Brittany as a damned sinner and neither was Fr. Brian.  We do not know the state of Brittany's soul and so we can have the hope of praying for her.   Yet, we cannot be silent about the truth that those who know better will an do go to Hell for committing suicide.   And we are called to wield the truth of the moral law because this Truth is Christ!  While Brittany could have been saved due to her ignorance, the guilt of what she did then passes to those who knew better but were silent.   If a man denied the law of gravity because he truly did not believe in it and walked off a cliff then we can hope that he was saved.   However, for those who knew better and knew the laws of gravity existed but were silent and did not help the man by telling him a truth hard for his ears and did not want to say it to him out of motives of false compassion and human respect.  Well those people are now guilty of his death and will answer for it on the last day.   And what will be your defense?  Will you say like Cain "am I my brothers keeper?" and do you think you will be justified with that reply?

 

Father Brian says her ONLY strength was in her conviction that she would rather die then suffer. Even though Brittany said there's not a single part of me that wants to die but yet I'm dying. Leave the poor dead girl alone Father and as far as her strengths go I'm guessing she had more then one and a lot more then most of us.

 

Fr. Brian cannot leave Brittany alone nor should he because Brittany did not want to be left alone.  She wanted to use her death to push and spread laws.  Laws which will impact you and me and all of us still living.   It will be no surprise to me that the forces of evil will now use her as a martyr for their cause.  The "Death with Dignity" will most likely be changed to the "Brittany Maynard Law" and will be passed because of the sentimentality of people and the acceptance of three great errors Brittany gave her life for: 1: The error that our dignity is determined by our quality of life. 2: That we only have dignity if we can choose (This means the unborn, babies, mentally handicapped people and anyone the law deems unfit to make choices are all undignified). 3:That truth is subjective and based on our feelings. 

 

 

"For people to argue against this choice for sick people really seems evil to me," she told PEOPLE. "They try to mix it up with suicide and that's really unfair, because there's not a single part of me that wants to die. But I am dying." 

 

 

This is the 3rd error in full force: "It's not suicide because I do not feel that it is."  Unfortunately the truth and definition of suicide disagree with Brittany no matter how much she wishes it to be different.  Furthermore to say that those who commit suicide are different because they wanted to die is disgusting.  No one wants to commit suicide!  Suicides believe they have to take their life because they think it is better than facing and suffering the hardships of their present situation and the possibility of facing it until they die of a natural death.   Now I ask how is her choice any different from theirs?  Didn't she likewise choose to die now rather than face and suffer the hardships of her present life and the life she probably would have had until her natural death?  

[Semper Catholic]

You prefer a priest not speak the truth?   The sad reality Josh, is that while Brittany could be in purgatory the other side is that she very well could be in Hell.  

 

 

No one here is treating Brittany as a damned sinner and neither was Fr. Brian.  We do not know the state of Brittany's soul and so we can have the hope of praying for her.   Yet, we cannot be silent about the truth that those who know better will an do go to Hell for committing suicide.   And we are called to wield the truth of the moral law because this Truth is Christ!  While Brittany could have been saved due to her ignorance, the guilt of what she did then passes to those who knew better but were silent.   If a man denied the law of gravity because he truly did not believe in it and walked off a cliff then we can hope that he was saved.   However, for those who knew better and knew the laws of gravity existed but were silent and did not help the man by telling him a truth hard for his hears and did not want to say it to him out of motives of false compassion and human respect.  Well those people are now guilty of his death and will answer for it on the last day.   And what will be your defense?  Will you say like Cain "am I my brothers keeper?" and do you think you will be justified with that reply?

 

 

Fr. Brian cannot leave Brittany alone nor should he because Brittany did not want to be left alone.  She wanted to us her death to push and spread laws.  Laws which will impact you and me and all of us still living.   It will be no surprise to me that the forces of evil will now use her as a martyr for their cause.  The "Death with Dignity" will most likely be changed to the "Brittany Maynard Law" and will be passed because of the sentimentality of people and the acceptance of three great errors Brittany gave her life for: 1: The error that our dignity is determined by our quality of life. 2: That we only have dignity if we can choose (This means the unborn, babies, mentally handicapped people and anyone the law deems unfit to make choices are all undignified). 3:That truth is subjective and based on our feelings. 

 

 

 

 

This is the 3rd error in full force.  It's not suicide because I do not feel that it is.  Unfortunately the truth and definition of suicide disagree with Brittany no matter who much she wishes it to be different.  Furthermore to say that those who commit suicide are different because they wanted to die is disgusting.  No one wants to commit suicide!  Suicides believe they have to take their life because they think it is better than facing and suffering the hardships of their present situation and the possibility of facing it until they die of a natural death.   Now I ask how is her choice any different from theirs?  Didn't she likewise choose to die now rather than face and suffer the hardships of her present life and the life she probably would have had until her natural death?  

 

Wat. If you think this woman was trying to push an agenda you are delusional.

[Credo in Deum]

Wat. If you think this woman was trying to push an agenda you are delusional.

 

I think it's clear the only delusional one is you, Semper. 

[Semper Catholic]

I think it's clear the only delusional one is you, Semper. 

 

K