Catholic Advance Medical Directive

Guide Family & Doctors on Your End of Life Wishes

Catholics respect life from conception to natural death. It's important for us to know the Church's position on life issues, so we can strive to live in accord with Jesus' wishes. Just as we don't support aborting the lives of the unborn in the womb, we also do not look to shortcut life at it's very end.

If you are at the age where you are mulling end of life decisions, it is good to learn about creating an Advance Medical Directive. An Advance Medical Directive is a witnessed legal instrument that makes known what type of health care you would or would not want if you ever become incapacitated and unable to express these wishes yourself.
Under North Carolina law, an Advance Medical Directive serves the same or a similar function as other documents called a “Health Care Power of Attorney,” a “Health Care Proxy,” or a “Living Will.”
The following link will help you get ready, with our Catholic faith in mind:
This main link will provide you with additional links, which include medical and moral decision making questions and answers, definitions & guidelines for creating an Advance Medical Directive (with a template), and, forms for the appointment of a healthcare agent.
There are also several videos that deal with end of life care. Highly recommended are the following videos: End of Life Medical Care, Planning for an Advanced Directive, and, Legal Docs End of Life Planning.
Prayer of St. Brendan the Navigator
"Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You.

Christ of the mysteries, I trust You to be stronger than each storm within me. I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hand. Tune my spirit to the music of heaven, and somehow, make my obedience count for You." ... Amen
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