Serving the Catholic Communites of St. Mary in Lee, St. Mary of the Lakes in Otis, & St. Joseph in Stockbridge

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November Election Poses Question to MA Voters About Physician-Assisted Suicide

Election Day this year has the people of the United States choosing officials who will lead us in the coming years. There are, as always, also questions to vote on that may change the laws of each state. 

Here in Massachusetts, we will have the opportunity to vote on Question 2, which, if passed, will allow Physician-Assisted Suicide here in the Commonwealth.

As Catholics, we adhere to the principle that all human life is sacred and should be treated as such from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Legally sanctioned physician-assisted suicide flies in the face of this principle, which is held by many who do not share our faith.

Some may argue that we should not express our principles in the public forum but, of course, the exercise of our faith does not stop at the walls and doors of our churches as some of our government leaders would assert. At the same time, we need to be concerned that, under the terms of such a law, physicians who oppose the law on religious or ethical grounds, may still be required to perform procedures to end human life or face sanctions - a strong possibility as we well know, given the mandates of the so-called "ObamaCare" which clearly restricts acting in accord with ones religious and ethical beliefs if they are contrary to this new policy.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, addresses this issue quite well in his blog on the website for the Archdiocese of Boston. To read his blog entry please go to http://www.bostoncatholic.org/