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Bishops Release New Edition of Pastoral Letter on
End of Life Decisions
On November 2, All Souls’ Day, Wisconsin’s Catholic bishops are releasing the 4th edition of their pastoral letter on end of life decisions, Now and at the Hour of Our Death. The letter voices the bishops’ concern and compassion for those facing critical life and death decisions and shares a moral framework for making such decisions.
Like the previous editions, the 4th edition of the pastoral letter is both a planning tool and a moral guide to prepare for the end of life and to relieve some of the pain, sadness, and anxiety that dying entails. It urges Catholics to prepare in advance for future medical care and end of life decisions through advance care planning. It addresses the challenges faced by society today, noting the mounting threat of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The letter also provides moral guidance on the Church’s teaching regarding various treatment measures and comments to specific groups, such as health care professionals, ministers, and families who face these questions daily.
The 4th edition includes a new section on “Funeral Arrangements and Final Disposition of Bodily Remains,” which addresses new practices, such as alkaline hydrolysis and human composting, and explains why these do not respect the dignity of the human person. As an alternative, the Church offers Catholic green burials, in which the shrouded body is lowered directly into the ground. Additionally, the bishops have created a new legal document, Catholic Authorization for Final Disposition, which can ensure that believers receive a Catholic funeral and are laid to rest in a sacred space.
The letter includes Church teaching on a wide variety of issues at the end of life, including:
- Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia
- Ordinary & Extraordinary Measures
- Measures Withheld or Withdrawn
- Nutrition & Hydration
- Palliative Care & Hospice
- Pain Management
- Redemptive Suffering
- Organ Donation
- Spiritual & Sacramental Needs
- Funeral Planning
- Advance Care Planning
- Power of Attorney for Health Care
- Living Wills & POLST
- Burial & Cremation
- Alkaline Hydrolysis
- Human Composting
Catholics are encouraged to read the pastoral letter, bring it to prayer, and begin important conversations with loved ones. As the bishops write, “We pray that you do not wait until you or a loved one is near death to reflect on the issues we must all confront at the end of life. Now is the time to talk through these issues with your family and anyone you might designate to make end of life decisions on your behalf.”
The bishops add that Now and at the Hour of Our Death “could not have been possible without a generous grant from the Knights of Columbus Wisconsin State Council. We are deeply indebted to them.”
The English and Spanish versions of the pastoral letter and accompanying legal documents are available online at wisconsincatholic.org/endoflife. The website also contains promotional materials for church bulletins and social media, along with frequently asked questions.
Printed copies of the English and Spanish pastoral letter can be obtained by contacting the following office in your diocese.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Cemeteries
Email cemeteries@archmil.org or call 414-448-6885
Diocese of Green Bay Office of Human Dignity & Life
Email diocmail@gbdioc.org or call 920-437-7531
Diocese of La Crosse Office for Sacred Worship
Email worship@diolc.org or call 608-791-0161
Diocese of Madison Office of Cemeteries
Email cemetery@madisondiocese.org or call 608-821-3055
Diocese of Superior Marriage Tribunal
Email pholt@catholicdos.org or call 715-394-0209
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