What does the Catholic Church teach about stopping medical treatment at the end of life? When is it morally permissible to withdraw a ventilator or pacemaker? And how can Catholics distinguish legitimate end-of-life care from intentionally hastening death?

In this third episode of our special series on Catholic end-of-life ethics, Fr. Shenan Boquet answers real questions from listeners about the practical application of the Church's teaching on ordinary and extraordinary care. We cover real life scenarios: ventilators, pacemakers and defibrillators, feeding tubes, treatment tied to fetal cell research, and how to talk to a doctor when death is near.

You'll learn:

• What ordinary/proportionate and extraordinary/disproportionate care mean
• When a Catholic may morally forgo cancer treatment
• How to evaluate whether medical treatment has become excessively burdensome
• Whether Catholics may withdraw a ventilator
• When a pacemaker or defibrillator may be turned off
• Why withdrawing treatment is not necessarily the same as causing death
• How Catholic teaching differs from a "quality of life" approach
• How hospice and palliative care continue to serve a person even when medicine can no longer cure
• Two real-world scenarios: a 95-year-old with recurrent infections, and a feeding tube decision in a terminal diagnosis

RESOURCES

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

Subscribe for more conversations on Catholic bioethics, hospice and palliative care, euthanasia, medical ethics, and end-of-life care.

CATCH UP ON PREVIOUS EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:

Episode 1: What Guides Catholic End-of-Life Decisions? A Foundation for Every Family (Ep. 1)

Episode 2: Can Catholics Use Morphine for Pain Management? | End of Life Ethics (Ep. 2)

This episode provides general Catholic ethical principles and is not a substitute for individualized medical or pastoral advice. Difficult medical decisions should be discussed with qualified medical professionals and appropriate Catholic pastoral or bioethical resources.

Subscribe for more on Catholic euthanasia ethics, hospice care, palliative care, and end of life care from a faithful Catholic perspective.