Law. The Church advises saying "explicitly" in the living will that euthanasia is not wanted: "It is a homicide"
Politics The Government skips the Council of State to govern without counterweights
Representative of a new generation of Spanish bishops, and recently appointed by
Pope Francis
Archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Burgos
,
Mario Iceta
(Gernika, 1965) has spent years closely analyzing the controversial debate on euthanasia.
A doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the
University of Navarra
, he has addressed this issue as vice president of the
Episcopal Subcommittee for Family and Life
, which last year published the document
Sowers of Hope.
Welcome, protect
r and accompany in the final stage of life.
A few days after the approval of the
Euthanasia Law
, What is your assessment?
Very negative. Euthanasia is not the solution for incurable, terminally ill or suffering patients, their families, those who care for them and health professionals.
What are the aspects of the law that concern you the most?
The general assessment, as I said, is negative. Euthanasia practice contradicts the raison d'être of Medicine, which has always been to heal, at least to alleviate and always to accompany and console. Now a new objective is introduced: to eliminate the life of the patient. There are also some shocking aspects: that euthanasia is considered for all intents and purposes as natural death; the difficulty of assessing the decision-making capacity in these situations and, particularly, when there are psychological disorders; that doctors who conscientiously object must register; the obligation to offer euthanasia in all centers and even at home and cannot, for example, exclude those centers that disagree with this practice, since it becomes part of the portfolio of health services ...
You have stated, as a physician, that euthanasia is foreign to medicine. Why?
Because medicine, working in an interdisciplinary way with other sciences and knowledge, has every day greater capacity to eliminate pain and alleviate the suffering of the sick. The elimination of the patient's life does not enter into its reason for being. The reasons given for advocating euthanasia are ideological and not medical.
Many Spaniards, however, believe that euthanasia, the so-called "dignified death", is progress. What would you say to those who defend an end to the pain and suffering of the sick?
Euthanasia is not synonymous with dignified death. It is one of the fallacious arguments that have been used regularly. To die with dignity is to die surrounded by the affection of family and friends, ideally in the usual environment, with adequate analgesia that suppresses pain, alleviates suffering, with a sense of what is lived in the moment, company and Necessary spiritual help, leaving the fundamental questions of one's own existence resolved as far as possible. and at peace with all the relational aspects that have constituted life itself.
Do you think it possible to find an intermediate point, of consensus between the different sensitivities?
It is that, between supporting and accompanying the patient and his family, adequately alleviating the suffering, anguish, hopelessness and pain, and causing his death, I do not think there is a middle ground.
Another argument put forward in defense of the law is that of individual freedom.
It is curious that an act is chosen that precisely suppresses and radically makes freedom itself impossible.
Does the Episcopal Conference prepare any initiative to react to the law? There was very active opposition, for example, against the Abortion Law or gay marriage.
I am not aware. A year ago we published an extensive document on this subject entitled "Sowers of Hope", and the Conference and the bishops have spoken on many occasions. But it has also been pronounced exhaustively and very well argued the
Collegiate Medical Organization
, other organizations of professions in the social health area, of various medical specialties, and the same
Bioethics Committee of Spain
, without obtaining any favorable result.
Was there dialogue between the Government and the EEC during the processing of the law?
The Government and the parliamentary arch are aware of the position of the Episcopal Conference and the medical, health and other organizations. I do not know that there has been a dialogue in order to seek a shared position.
Another controversial measure is the government's appointment of the concerted school, from the first stages of the legislature. Is it an excuse to go against Catholic schools?
The international and Spanish legal systems are very clear. The importance of the educational task has been collected in chapter 26 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
.
The compulsory and gratuitous nature of basic education is especially relevant, as well as the recognition as a human right of the freedom of parents to choose the type of education they want for their children.
The new law restricts this ability to choose, advocating rather a single state school.
The fundamental elements of this declaration are collected and developed in article 27 of the
Spanish constitution
, where the freedom of teaching is recognized, and it is affirmed that the public powers guarantee the right of parents so that their children receive religious and moral training that is in accordance with their own convictions and that will help the educational centers that meet the requirements established by law.
Nor are these elements endorsed in the new law ...
No. And it is the eighth educational law in the time of democracy, approved without consensus with educational agents, without addressing a large part of the educational system that constitutes concerted education, and without reaching a true State pact, which would be what desirable on such fundamental issues. How long will it take to pass a new educational law, the ninth? And so, until when?
Do you hope that, in this case, the Government will end up listening to the Church's requests regarding the school?
Recent experience does not support this option, which would be highly desirable. Not so much that he listens to the Church, but rather that he listens to families and the educational community, which are the true protagonists, reaching a state pact between political forces.
He has just started a new stage as Archbishop of Burgos, after spending 11 years in Bilbao. What is your assessment of your time as bishop in the
Basque Country
, living very closely the last years of the armed violence of
ETA
?
I have had the opportunity to see the end of terrorism and violence after so many years of pain, suffering and death. I thank God for that. Also of the ethical evolution of society towards a clear position against all violent action. I have valued and appreciated the initiatives that, promoted by the diocese and ecclesial groups, have been carried out favoring the accompaniment of the victims, the path of recognition of the evil caused by those who caused so much suffering, the rejection of violence, reparation, as far as possible, of the damages and the path of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is a long road that will require several generations to heal the deep wounds generated. The educational task of the new generations in truth and justice will be a key element in this journey.
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