The Vatican doubled down on its opposition to euthanasia on Tuesday, calling it an âact of homicideâ that can never be justified or tolerated.
A new document, issued as more countries consider legalising euthanasia or assisted suicide, said legislators and politicians who support such laws are âaccomplicesâ.
Catholic healthcare workers must never give active or passive collaboration and governments the right to conscientious objection, it said.
The 20-page document, titled âThe Good Samaritanâ and written by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vaticanâs doctrinal office, incorporated past statements by the Roman Catholic Church on end of life issues but used tougher language.
âEuthanasia, therefore, is an intrinsically evil act, in every situation or circumstance,â the document said. âEuthanasia is an act of homicide that no end can justify and that does not tolerate any form of complicity or active or passive collaboration.â
One section singled out lawmakers, saying that if they approve laws on euthanasia and assisted suicide they become âaccomplices of a grave sin that others will executeâ.
Euthanasia involves a physician taking an active role in ending a patientâs life whereas in assisted suicide, the doctor provides a lethal substance for the patient to self-administer.
Both are legal to various degrees in about 10 countries and several U.S. states.
In February, Portuguese legislators approved bills that would decriminalise euthanasia and assisted suicide. They have not yet become law. New Zealand is due to hold a referendum on both in October.
The document called legitimatising euthanasia or assisted suicide âa sign of the degradation of legal systemsâ.
In a section addressed to Catholic health workers, the document said their cooperation âmust be excludedâ because âwe must obey God rather than menâ.
Governments âmust acknowledge the right to conscientious objectionâ by health care workers, it said.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella, Editing by Timothy Heritage)