Canadian Hospital Told Catholic Priest to Consider Assisted Suicide For Broken Hip

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Suicide is not a mental disorder, but most people who choose that path of escape do have a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse (John Hopkins Medicine). Contrary to popular belief, however, suicide doesn’t just affect individuals with mental health conditions. According to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Many individuals with mental illness are not affected by suicidal thoughts and not all people who attempt or die by suicide have mental illness.”

When Father Larry Holland, a Catholic priest in Canada, broke his hip on Christmas Day, he assumed traditional treatment at the hospital would help nurse him back to health. What he didn’t expect was medical professionals at Vancouver General Hospital in British Columbia telling him that he might want to consider assisted suicide.  

While Holland told the hospital he was opposed to euthanasia, CBN News reported that he was “still told on two separate occasions that he has the option to kill himself if his condition gets worse.”

Holland, who is trained in health-care chaplaincy, said he was “very shocked” by this response. “There are some things you just don’t talk about to some people,” he added.

At 79 years old, Holland is still recovering at the hospital, but he’s not dying, and his condition is far from terminal. Still, The B.C. Catholic reports that just weeks ago, another doctor and nurse informed him of his options for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).