It may interest readers to know that the pamphlet resulted directly from the conflict surrounding the tragedy of Hugh Finn, and the arduous circumstance faced by his wife, Michele. As readers may recall, Mr. Finn, a sports broadcaster, remained in a persistent vegetative state for many years due to a brain injury following a motor vehicle accident. A medical, moral and political controversy erupted when Michele Finn sought to discontinue artificial tube feedings, particularly after Virginia Governor James Gilmore tried to intervene. The same medical-ethical questions that were raised and answered during the sagas of Karen Anne Quinlan and Nancy Cruzan were once again thrown open, this time in our own state. The document, purposefully constructed as a simple informational pamphlet, is based squarely on the orthodox teachings of the Catholic Church.
Nothing is novel.
The entire content of the document is drawn directly from the most authoritative sources including the US Council of Catholic Bishops and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It has been a very rewarding experience participating in the development of this material. As a practicing neurologist, I approach the issues of death and dying frequently. Hopefully, this document will serve to ease the burden of and effectively guide the faithful in extreme circumstances that, as both Bonny Dillon and Shar Sauer illustrate, are not uncommon in modern health care. A reception will follow in the parish hall.