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A Note from Fr. Dale

- A Note from Fr. Dale
  
  “Live so as not to fear death. For those who live well in the world, death is not frightening but sweet and precious.” – St. Rose of Viterbo
  
  In recent weeks many of you have asked how my mother is doing. Thank you for asking and thank you for your prayers. Two weeks ago, she transitioned to hospice care while remaining at Little Sisters Holy Family Residence in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has been battling several issues from cancer, multiple infections, anemia, and immobility. While she wasn’t familiar with the word “hospice,” she shared that she didn’t want to continue all the visits to the hospital and various treatments trying to fix her health problems. I affirmed her desire and explained that she was really requesting hospice.
  
  Hospice is care that acknowledges a cure is unlikely and certain treatments are futile or provide little benefit. Hospice is warranted when the course of the disease would indicate the person has less than six months to live. Care then shifts to focus on alleviating pain and providing comfort. This allows for physical, emotional, and spiritual preparation for death and the life to come.
  
  Not all hospice programs are the same. For Catholics, it is important that hospice care be done within Catholic principles of respecting the dignity of human life and not hastening death. There are specific hospice programs that are Catholic, but all should abide by the directives of an
  individual and /or their family members. The United tates Conference of Catholic Bishops has outlined principles for making end-of-life decisions in the document, Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, 6th edition, part V. In particular, there are a few principles to keep in mind when you or a loved one is making decisions about care.
  A person’s diagnosis and prognosis should always be communicated in terms they can understand. Information should not be withheld for fear of how they will receive it or react. We have a right to know our medical condition.
  
  If informed and competent, the person should make health care decisions for themselves, as long as the decisions are not contrary to Catholic Church teaching.
  
  Ordinary and proportionate means (such as food and water) must be used to preserve life unless they are deemed to be excessively burdensomewith no reasonable benefit.
  
  Pain should be alleviated or suppressed as much as possible, but care should be given to allow the person to be conscious and alert enough to prepare for death. This means allowing the person the ability to communicate with others and to receive the Sacraments and spiritual care to prepare well for death.
  
  Every person and situation is different. When in doubt about how a care plan fits with Catholic teaching, please contact a priest to help determine an approach that is both compassionate and moral.
  
  It is an important tenet of our faith to keep in mind that this world is not our final home. Preparing for death is a blessing and an opportunity. The blessing is in the knowledge that we are in our last chapter of life in this world. Taking advantage of the opportunity to prepare for the next life with greater intention can bring its own healing, reconciliation, and peace. Do not wait for the last hours of life to contact the parish and
  request a priest. We are happy to come in the final days or hours but all too often a real opportunity for grace has passed. Please give the parish a call and let us know if your loved one is able to receive Holy Communion. Receiving Viaticum (Holy Communion for the last time) means “food for the journey.”
  
  Preparing for death is a spiritual practice in which we should all be engaged. A recent group at Holy Spirit viewed the FORMED.org video, Eternal Rest: The Art of Dying. This video series covers several topics and is very informative. It may also be accessed at eternalrest.org and has some additional information.
  
  Since the hospice consult and recommendation to shift o hospice care, my mom has experienced peace and can focus on preparing to meet the Lord. The extended family is also able to take advantage of this blessing and walk with her into her eternal rest. Thank you to all who have been and continue to pray for her and us. As my mother has commented, “I know you have a lot of people praying for me. I can feel it.”
  
  “The world’s thy ship and not thy home.” ~ St. Thérèse of Lisieux
  In Christ, Fr. Dale