Jump to content
An Old School Catholic Message Board

Feeding Tube And Breathing Machine


Paddington

Recommended Posts

What does the Church teach?

Feeding tube + breathing machine are "natural means" or whatever it is called, right?

It is always murder, right? Even if they are "vegetative." Is this true?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

self-edit: nevermind what I wrote on this 2nd post.

Anyways.....I'm still very interested in answers to the topic. Especially on breathing machine.

Edited by Paddington
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I rem. the Terri Shiavo case was such a big deal....I don't really know much about this topic, in concerning the Church's teaching.

seeing as how, for example, Terri Shiavo died after the feeding tube was taken out---hmmm, I don't see it as a natural means then. Since that was all that was keeping her alive. Maybe my definition of natural would be different though, since I don't see a "machine" as natural.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Lena' post='1403769' date='Oct 16 2007, 05:57 PM']I rem. the Terri Shiavo case was such a big deal....I don't really know much about this topic, in concerning the Church's teaching.

seeing as how, for example, Terri Shiavo died after the feeding tube was taken out---hmmm, I don't see it as a natural means then. Since that was all that was keeping her alive. Maybe my definition of natural would be different though, since I don't see a "machine" as natural.[/quote]


A ventilator (breathing machine) can be removed if there is no reasonable hope of recovery. A feeding tube cannot be removed unless the patient is near death and food and fluids are burdonsome.

The Terri Schiavo case was diabolical. She was handicapped, not near death, and could communicate on some level with her family. The feeding tube is just another way to eat....if the "feeding tube" which is just a tube, not a machine, was keeping her alive, then tonight's dinner is "keeping us alive" as well. We all must eat! The "vegetative" state is often misdiagnosed...and even then, the person still has the right to life.

Edited by friendofJPII
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a good article that addresses the issue of feeding tubes...

[url="http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/sau/sau_04euthanasia.html"]http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/sau/sau_04euthanasia.html[/url]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...