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April 4, 2022

English police to allow priests to give last rites at crime scenes

Police officers guard the site where Sir David Amess, a member of the governing Conservative Party, was stabbed while meeting constituents in Leigh-on-Sea, England, Oct. 15, 2021. Following the outcry over the murder, police in England have changed guidance to allow priests to access crime scenes to give last rites to dying Catholics.

Police in England have produced national guidelines to allow priests to give last rites to Catholics dying at crime scenes.

Published in International
April 9, 2020

English bishops advising priests not to give last rites

Medical staff are seen wearing protective clothing outside the Nightingale Hospital in London April 9, 2020. The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales recommended that, because of the lack of personal protective equipment, during the COVID-19 pandemic priests should counsel patients by telephone rather than give them last rites.

MANCHESTER, England -- Because of the lack of personal protective equipment, priests are being told to counsel dying COVID-19 patients by telephone rather than give them last rites.

Published in International
December 7, 2016

Swiss bishop to priests: No last rites for patients seeking assisted suicide

Bishop Vitus Huonder of Chur, Switzerland instructed his priests to not give last rites to those suspected of seeking assisted suicide.

CHUR, Switzerland – A Swiss bishop has instructed Catholic priests not to give last rites to people suspected of seeking assisted suicide, following a sharp rise in the practice in his country.

Published in International
September 21, 2016

Alberta, NWT bishops: No last rites for those seeking euthanasia

A priest administers the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Alberta and NWT bishops will withhold the sacrament from those requesting assisted suicide.

Priests should withhold the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to people who have requested assisted suicide or euthanasia, according to pastoral guidelines issued by the bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

Published in Canada
February 18, 2016

Last rites may be denied to Catholics seeking death, says archbishop

Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast

OTTAWA - It would be inappropriate for a person intent on assisted suicide to request the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, said Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast.

Published in Canada