Vatican City, Sep 2, 2019 / 06:13 am
Euthanasia is a way of treating the human person as an object; while it may appear to give freedom, it is really a rejection of hope, Pope Francis told an oncology association Sept. 2.
"The practice of euthanasia, which has already been legalized in several countries, only apparently aims to encourage personal freedom," he said Sept. 2.
"In reality," he continued, "it is based on a utilitarian view of the person, who becomes useless or can be equated to a cost, if from the medical point of view, he has no hope of improvement or can no longer avoid pain."
"If one chooses death, the problems are solved in a sense; but how much bitterness behind this reasoning, and what rejection of hope involves the choice of giving up everything and breaking all ties!" he declared.