Chilean Cardinal Chomalí Voices Strong Opposition to Euthanasia Bill, Advocates for Palliative Care
Santiago, chile – Cardinal Ricardo Eyzaguirre Chomalí has sharply criticized a Chilean bill legalizing euthanasia, reaffirming teh Catholic Church’s unwavering stance against the practice.Speaking alongside Bernardo,Juan Ignacio González,a member of the Permanent Committee of the Episcopal Conference of Chile,the Cardinal argued that the legislation risks devaluing human life and disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations.
“Behind the idea of ‘dignified death’ frequently enough hides the claim to have the life of the weakest and most sick, rather of accompanying them in the final stretch of their existence,” Cardinal Chomalí stated, emphasizing the Church’s belief in the inviolable value of life.
The Cardinal specifically took issue with the bill’s use of the term “medical assistance” to describe what he considers a deliberate act of ending life. “Medicine has othre specific purposes: cure, prevent, accompany. It has no vocation to end a human life,” he stressed.
Chomalí warned that legalizing euthanasia could create a two-tiered system, where those lacking financial resources and strong support networks are pressured into choosing death. “The poorest could be pushed to this option due to abandonment and lack of networks,” he cautioned, suggesting economic disparity could influence access to - and perception of – end-of-life choices.
Instead of euthanasia,Cardinal Chomalí passionately advocated for bolstering palliative care and strengthening public policies focused on the well-being of the elderly,notably in healthcare and pension systems. He firmly stated, “With euthanasia nothing is relieved, it ends with a life.” He also cautioned against “therapeutic teaching,” describing it as an inappropriate medical practice.The Cardinal called for increased university-level training in palliative care and its widespread implementation in hospitals and clinics, stating, “we are in that. What we must encourage is a true treatise of palliative care at the university and hospitable level.”
Beyond medical considerations, Cardinal Chomalí urged legislators to consider the broader cultural implications, arguing that a society’s worth is measured by its treatment of the most vulnerable. “The mood of a society is not measured only by its economic or technological indices, but by how it treats the weakest and homeless,” he remarked.
Concluding his remarks, Cardinal Chomalí reiterated the Church’s appeal to postpone the bill and prioritize the advancement of comprehensive palliative care policies, reaffirming his opposition to intentionally ending a life, “under any point of view.”