Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, president of the CET
Of Riccardo Bigi
“A primacy that we would not have wanted.” The cardinal Augusto Paolo LojudiceArchbishop of Siena and president of the Tuscan Episcopal Conference, thus comments on the regional law (the first in Italy) who regulates assisted suicide. “Sanctioning with a regional law the right to death is not a goal, but a defeat for everyone,” he declared a few minutes after the approval of the law. The next day he reiterates the concept.
“I don’t want to contrast with the parties or the institutions” underlines “from this point of view we can only take note of the choice made by the Tuscany Regional Council. I care, however, to express what I consider fundamental, or the principle of the inviolability of life. For this reason I invite all those who support life, who take care of sick and suffering, to continue in their commitment. Yesterday on the patient I had the opportunity to meet healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, volunteers, hospital chaplains, religious and religious who operate in the hospice and in all those places where every day we confront the disease, pain and death. I encouraged everyone to maintain attention to the care of every person ».
One of the reasons given to this law was the freedom of choice: “I absolutely do not want to judge anyone” replies Lojudice “and let alone who is in pain. What we have to do is to be close to these people, try to be carriers of hope, of life».
In the debate in the regional council, the reference to palliative care and the various forms of assistance to be assured of people has often resonated: “This” concludes Cardinal “is our line, offer all those answers that can remove the desire for death. We hope that Parliament, when it will legislate, take into account these observations ».
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