Can Catholics use morphine for pain relief at the end of life? Fr. Shenan Boquet explains the Church's teaching on pain management, palliative care, and hospice — rooted in Catholic bioethics and the principle of double effect.

This is Episode 2 in our End-of-Life Ethics series. Fr. Boquet and host Colleen answer real listener questions about morphine, opioids, dosage increases, unconsciousness, and redemptive suffering — with direct guidance from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2279) and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

This conversation offers compassionate, faithful guidance for anyone caring for an aging parent, a terminally ill loved one, or facing their own difficult medical decisions — explaining that pain relief can be morally permissible when the intention is to relieve suffering, while preserving opportunities for reconciliation and the sacraments.

Missed Episode 1? Watch our discussion of ordinary vs. extraordinary care and nutrition/hydration at the end of life: What Guides Catholic End-of-Life Decisions? A Foundation for Every Family (Ep. 1)

Free e-book: Ethical End-of-Life Care — walks through all three pain-management scenarios covered in this episode with Catechism citations: End of Life Decisions

Need guidance right now? The National Catholic Bioethics Center runs a 24-hour ethics hotline, referenced directly in this episode: Contact Us — The National Catholic Bioethics Center

Learn more about Human Life International: Human Life International | Pro-life. Catholic. Global.

USCCB's Ethical and Religious Directives, 7th Edition: ERDs-7th-ed-Approved_2025-11-12.pdf

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