The Catholic Leader Keeping Faith with You

QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has wiped euthanasia from her government’s legislative agenda for this term  – announcing in parliament that a scheme to allow assisted dying for the terminally ill needs “further, careful consideration”. The Premier’s decision means voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation will not go before lawmakers before Queensland heads to the polls on October 31. Instead, Ms Palaszczuk ... Read More »

TOWNSVILLE Bishop Tim Harris has spoken out strongly against euthanasia and defended comments he made likening a push to allow voluntary assisted dying in Queensland to “a mentality that existed in Nazi Germany”. Bishop Harris said it was an important time to have a conversation on the “grim” topic following the Queensland Government’s committee hearings, which could result in new ... Read More »

“WHEN you’re told your child is going to die, you’re suddenly parenting without a future, and so you’re not parenting … You’re actually saying goodbye.” That was the horrible reality Priyanka Saha and her husband Will Calvert had to deal with as they prepared for the birth of their first child almost three years ago. “We had a very normal ... Read More »

THE deepest expressions of love were found in moments of intense suffering, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge told the Queensland parliamentary inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying. “Loneliness, depression and acute physical pain are a powerful cocktail which seems to be fuelling the call for euthanasia,” Archbishop Coleridge said. “Yet there is a power stronger ... Read More »

A DIRE lack of palliative care services is one of the key issues Queensland Parliament’s aged-care inquiry has heard at public hearings across the state. The inquiry is examining the adequacy of Queensland’s end-of-life care including palliative care, and is looking into support for laws to allow voluntary assisted suicide. Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge will present a submission to the ... Read More »

The following is a transcript of a verbal submission by Shalom College, Bundaberg principal Dan McMahon to a Parliamentary Committee’s inquiry into Aged Care. Mr McMahon was jeered at by members of the public while he delivered the submission. He said he was one of three out of 30 submissions that didn’t support legalising Voluntary Assisted Dying. I AM very ... Read More »

I WAS once asked to organise a visit to our palliative care inpatient unit by a group of primary school children.  I felt a little nervous about how this would go, as we have a remarkably quiet ward.  That is the thing that strikes most patients and carers when they arrive in our ward – the peace and space and ... Read More »

QUEENSLAND’S peak Catholic women’s group has told a state parliamentary inquiry that the health system should not be focused on ending life but on providing good-quality palliative care. “We’ve got to stand up for what we believe,” 82-year-old Veronica Box, who is state president of the Catholic Women’s League, said after addressing the Inquiry into Aged Care End-of-Life, Palliative Care ... Read More »

A GROUP of specialist Queensland doctors claim many terminally ill patients are dying before they receive access to palliative care. The claim was made in a submission to the Queensland Government inquiry into the adequacy of aged care, end-of-life and palliative care, and whether there was support for state laws to allow voluntary assisted suicide. “Patients … at any time ... Read More »