Ministry of Care and Companionship

Ministry of Care and Companionship Resources

Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association provides helpful information to family members, loved ones, friends or neighbors who provide support or care for a dying family member, loved one or friend.

Caregivers Library The National Caregivers Library is one of the most extensive libraries for caregivers that exists today. It contains hundreds of articles, forms, checklists and links to topic-specific external resources organized into easy to find categories.

Care Givers Nova Scotia provides free programs, service, information and advocacy for unpaid, family and friend caregivers. They are dedicated to providing recognition and practical assistance to friends and family giving care.

Caregiver Tele-Connect (CTC) is a new initiative aimed at supporting caregivers who will be giving palliative care to a loved one at home.

The Canadian Virtual Hospice provides support and personalized information about palliative and end-of-life care to patients, family members, health care providers, researchers and educators.

Pallium Canada provides interprofessional education in palliative and end-of-life care. They are invested in helping Canada mobilize around Palliative Care as a public health issue.

Quality End of Life Coalition of Canada is working to improve end-of-life care for all Canadians. Their goals are to improve access to care, increase the number of professionals and volunteers with the skills to provide high quality end-of-life care, promote research that would improve care, support the family members who care for the people who are dying, and educate Canadians about their choices at end of life.

Web MD Web MD provides a Caregivers Guide to Palliative Care with helpful links to information, resources, grief and coping with illness.
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops provides the Catholic Church’s most recent statements on euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Catholic Health Alliance of Canada the Alliance is a forum for Catholic health and social services sponsors in Canada, to exchange ideas and develop shared strategic initiatives that support their ability to strengthen the healing ministry of Jesus. The Alliance is comprised of 12 Sponsor organizations. Together, these organizations sponsor approximately 100 Catholic hospitals, community health centres, nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout Canada.

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition their goal is to prepare a well-informed, broadly-based network of organizations and individuals supporting measures that will create an effective social barrier to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Catholic Organization for Life and Family their mission is to build a culture of life and a civilization of love by promoting respect for human life and dignity and the essential role of the family.
*Advanced Health Care Directive from Saskatchewan. Visit their website for a copy.
*Advance Care Planning for Health Decisions as a Spiritual Activity Prepared by Sr. Nuala Kenny, OC, BA, MD, FRCP(C), September 2019, Care and Companionship Committee of the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
*A Catholic Perspective on Health Decisions and Care at the End of Life prepared by the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada An excellent publication that addresses many of the fundamental questions and concerns about health care in general and specifically end of life care. Included are discussion questions to help people have the necessary conversations.

*Catholic Health Association of Saskatoon Advanced Health Care Directives A plain language explanation of Advanced Health Care Directives, questions and answers, and an Advanced Health Care Directive Document that may be completed for personal use.

*A Catholic Perspective: Triage Principles & Moral Distress in Pandemic Scarcity Prepared by Sr. Nuala Kenny, OC, BA, MD, FRCP(C), July 2020

*Catholic Funerals, Theological and Pastoral Considerations, Archdiocese of Halifax Yarmouth A valuable resource from the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth clarifying many of the questions that arise when a person is dying. English or French

*Missionary Disciples of Care and CompanionshipPrepared by Sr. Nuala Kenny, OC, BA, MD, FRCP(C), September 2019, Care and Companionship Committee of the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth

*The Church Speaks Out: Excerpts on Euthanasia, Suicide, and the Christian Meaning of Suffering A collection of Church quotations from various Church documents and papal speeches regarding the topics of euthanasia, suicide, and the Christian meaning of suffering.

*The Way of the Cross Today: Reflections on Suffering in Sickness and Dying Retrieving the insights, solace and strength found in the tradition of the Way of the Cross Sr. Nuala Kenny, SC Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth 2016.

*Pastoral Letter on Physician Assisted Dying (Eng/Fr)

*FAQ on Physican Assisted Dying (English)

*FAQ on Physican Assisted Dying (French)

*Responds to Bill C-14 on Assisted Suicide (eng/fr)

*Catholic Health Association USA Prayer Library A rich collection of prayers for various needs and occasions

Interveners In BC assisted suicide case raise concerns about ruling, conscience protection

Larry Worthen, Executive Director of the Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS), raised serious concerns about the Supreme Court of Canada decision in R v Carter, et al. that strikes down sections of the Criminal Code of Canada dealing with euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Larry Worthen said “The Christian Medical and Dental Society is primarily concerned about the safety of patients who may get the message from society, explicitly or implicitly that they would be better off ending their lives prematurely.”

CMDS Canada is also concerned about safeguarding physicians and other health care professionals’ freedom of conscience to decline involvement with these procedures. The court held that “(p)hysicians’ decision to participate in assisted dying is a matter of conscience and religious belief” (para. 132), adding that “In our view, nothing in the declaration of invalidity which we propose to issue would compel physicians to provide assistance in dying” (para. 132).

Not ruled on were the specifics on respecting the freedom of conscience and religion. That was left in the hands of physicians’ colleges, Parliament, and the provincial legislatures. CMDS Canada will continue to advocate for freedom of conscience and religion in the Colleges, the legislatures, and in Parliament.

In a joint intervener factum on the case, the CMDS and the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Societies, represented by Albertos Polizogopoulos, argued that a decision supporting assisted suicide would seriously undercut the commitment of doctors who have taken the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm.” The factum also argued that assisted suicide should not be understood as constituting medical care. This in turn would seriously undermine the Canadian Charter of Rights of Freedoms’ guarantees of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience of physicians.

“Thousands of Canadian physicians and health professionals are committed to healing patients. They cannot in good conscience perform or participate in any procedure that would do harm to a patient. This ruling will uphold the rights of physicians who hold firm to these commitments,” said Mr. Worthen. “It is clear that there is much more work to be done to ensure that constitutional freedoms of physicians are protected at all levels of the health care system.”

CMDS represents more than 1600 physicians, surgeons and dentists across Canada http://www.cmdscanada.org.

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