On One's Own Life

COMPENDIUM

Since the principle of life in man is his soul, and since every human soul is created by God, all human life is under the complete and absolute dominion of God. The dominion a man has over his own life is qualified: he possesses the administration or stewardship of his life, but he is only free to administer reasonably. He may only use his life in accordance with his rational nature and the laws of his nature. God alone is the absolute Master of life and death.

Every human being receives his life from the Creator, and the Natural Law imposes on each the duty of preserving and developing that life according to the purpose of the Creator. This fundamental duty embraces the obligation to preserve one's own life, health, and bodily integrity, and to secure those things which are necessary for that purpose, namely food, clothing, and shelter. Man is bound to preserve his life to the extent judged ordinary by the common estimation of men. Man is not bound to take extraordinary means, e.g., to undergo an operation fraught with grave danger. Men are bound to avoid proximate dangers to life; but not remote dangers, because to do the latter would make life impossible. It is lawful to expose oneself to proximate danger to life when duty requires it, or some higher good demands it, e.g., a Priest may have to risk his life for the spiritual good of others. Mortification, fasting, penance, etc., are lawful and praiseworthy, since they are undergone for a higher good.

Suicide, i.e. the direct and spontaneous compassing of one's own death, is a crime against the Natural Law and Divine Positive Law. It is against the Natural Law, because the creature thereby usurps God's authority over life: to claim power to destroy a thing is to claim full dominion over that thing. Only God has full dominion over life. It is against Divine Positive Law, because God has said: "Thou shalt not kill." (Exod. 20:13; Deut. 5:17; Matt. 5:21) The Church refuses Christian burial to such a one. There is a growing opinion that a man may be justified, in exceptional circumstances, in taking his life, as for example when he becomes a victim of great suffering, or incurably diseased, or becomes a burden to others, or useless to others. However, none of these motives, nor any other motive, can ever justify such a grave violation of the Natural and Divine Law as the deliberate taking of one's own life and the usurping of the Creator's right and authority over life and death. Such motives are based on false sentiment and a false idea of life and its value. The value of a human life is not to be reckoned by its usefulness to others. Every life, in every condition, and at all times, retains its chief purpose, namely the meriting of eternal life, for which God created it.

The mutilation of oneself without just reason is a violation of the Natural Law and Divine Positive Law. It is against Natural Law, because the Natural Law requires that man must use his members for the benefit of the whole body, its life, perfection, and well-being. It is against Divine Positive Law, because the Command "Thou shalt not kill" also forbids mutilation of oneself. The only circumstance in which it is lawful to allow mutilation of oneself is when such action is necessary to preserve health and life. Among physical goods, the greatest is life itself. There is no offence against law in allowing the mutilation of the body or sacrificing a member of the body in order to save what is better than any part of it, namely life itself. Thus, it is no violation of the Natural Law to cut away diseased flesh or a diseased member. It is also lawful to allow or undergo an operation which results in a state of sterility when it is the only and necessary means of preserving the health of the individual, milder measures being insufficient. However, to undergo such an operation expressly for the purpose of inducing sterility, thus making propagation impossible, is forbidden by Natural and Divine Positive Law. As Pope Pius XI teaches: "Christian doctrine establishes, and the light of reason makes it most clear, that individuals have no power over the members of their bodies than that which pertains to their natural ends; and they are not free to destroy or mutilate their members or in any way render themselves unfit for their natural functions, except when no other provision can be made for the good of the whole body." (Casti Connubii, §71)

CATECHISM

74. To whom belongs the complete and absolute dominion over man's life?

Man's life is under the complete and absolute dominion of God.

75. Has not man dominion over his own life?

Every man has dominion over his own life, but it is only a qualified dominion.

76. What is the first duty with regard to one's own life?

The first duty imposed on each person with regard to his own life is the duty of preserving and developing that life according to the purpose of the Creator from whom he received it.

77. How much is embraced by this fundamental duty?

This fundamental duty embraces the obligation to preserve his own life, health, and bodily integrity, and to secure those things which are necessary for that purpose, namely food, clothing, and shelter.

78. How far is man bound to preserve his life?

Man is bound to take the ordinary means to preserve his life and health.

79. Is suicide clearly an unlawful act?

Suicide, i.e. the direct and spontaneous compassing of one's own death, is clearly an unlawful act, being a crime against both the Natural Law and Divine Positive Law.

80. Is there not a growing opinion that a man may be justified, in exceptional circumstances, in taking his life, as for example when he becomes a victim of great suffering, or incurably diseased, or becomes a burden to others, or useless to others?

Yes. However, none of these motives, nor any other motive, can ever justify such a grave violation of the Natural and Divine Law as the deliberate taking of one's own life and the usurping of the Creator's right and authority over life and death.

81. Does the Moral Law forbid mutilation or injury to oneself without just reason?

Yes. The mutilation of oneself without just reason is a violation of the Natural Law and Divine Positive Law.

82. What would be a just reason for consenting to the mutilation of one's own body of members?

It is only lawful to allow mutilation of oneself when such action is necessary to preserve health and life.

83. Is it lawful to allow or to undergo an operation or mutilation which results in a state of sterility?

It is lawful to allow or undergo such an operation when it is the only and necessary means of preserving the health of the individual, milder measures being insufficient.

84. Is it lawful to allow sterilization, that is, is it lawful to undergo an operation for the express purpose of inducing sterility which will render future propagation impossible?

To undergo such an operation expressly for the purpose of inducing sterility, thus making propagation impossible, is forbidden by Natural and Divine Positive Law.