You Are Not Alone: A Catholic Word of Hope in Times of Suffering

There are moments in life when pain feels louder than hope, when weariness settles so deeply that simply continuing can seem unbearable. If you are reading this while struggling, please hear this first: your life matters, and you are not alone. Your worth does not depend on your strength, productivity, independence, or freedom from pain. You are precious simply because you exist, created in the image of God, and your dignity persists regardless of suffering, illness, or vulnerability.

For the Church’s official teaching on human dignity and the value of every life, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC):
🔗 https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P79.HTM (nn. 2276–2279)

Why the Church Cannot Support MAiD or Assisted Suicide

The Catholic Church teaches that intentionally ending one’s life is gravely immoral, a “perversion of mercy,” and a “grave violation of the law of God.” These teachings are rooted deeply in Scripture and the Church’s moral tradition.

For a foundational papal reflection on the value of life and suffering, see Pope St. John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life):
🔗 https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae.html

For the Church’s recent pastoral teaching on accompanying the sick and critically vulnerable with compassion (without intending to cause death), see the Vatican’s Samaritanus bonus:
🔗 https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20200714_samaritanus-bonus_en.html

These texts make clear that:

  • There is no moral right to dispose of one’s life or ask others to do so.

  • Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not compassionate solutions — true compassion shares suffering and accompanies life.

  • Distinguishing intention matters: opting out of burdensome treatment or using pain relief is morally different from intending to cause death.

Accompanying the Suffering

The Church does not abandon those who suffer. She calls all of society — families, communities, healthcare workers, and pastors — to walk with those in pain, providing:

  • compassionate presence

  • physical and emotional pain relief

  • spiritual and sacramental support

  • hope and encouragement

Suffering can find meaning in Christ’s Cross, and society is called to foster a culture of life, not a culture of death. The Church’s moral teaching affirms that love never abandons even the weakest or most vulnerable.

Episcopal and Canadian Context

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) offers resources for parishes, caregivers, and families on accompanying those nearing the end of life with compassion and dignity. Many dioceses in Canada have issued pastoral guidance opposing euthanasia and assisted suicide as morally unacceptable.

For official CCCB resources on life issues and pastoral care, explore:
🔗 https://www.cccb.ca/ (search for “end of life,” “palliative care,” “life issues”)

If you’d like specific Alberta diocesan or eparchial statements, please visit your local diocesan website (e.g., Archdiocese of Edmonton, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton) and search for “medical assistance in dying” or “MAiD” for their official positions.

A Message to Anyone in Despair

If you are thinking about ending your life or wondering whether others would be better off without you, please pause. These thoughts often reflect deep pain that deserves to be heard and held with care.

The Church responds to suffering not with rejection but with presence:

  • listening without judgment

  • connecting you with medical care, emotional support, and pastoral accompaniment

  • offering prayer, the healing Sacraments, and sustained companionship

Pain can change, even when it feels permanent. Loneliness can be lifted. Fear can soften when shared. Love can make suffering bearable.

You do not need to walk this road alone. Speak with a trusted friend, family member, priest, or healthcare professional. Asking for help is an act of courage, not weakness.

Choosing Life, Together

To choose life does not mean denying suffering. It means believing that you are worth caring for until the very end, and that your life — even now — still gives and receives love.

“You are not alone. Your life still matters.”
“The Church walks with you — in pain, in prayer, in hope.”

Even amid suffering, true compassion shares life, eases pain, and honors dignity. You are loved. Your life is a gift. And you are not finished yet.

Key Documents & Resources (Clickable)