Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Catholic Church renews euthanasia message

The Catholic Church hopes its message that euthanasia is a dangerous threat to society will be heard before the election.

Thursday was the final day of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference in Wellington.

President Wellington Archbishop John Dew says it's often argued that euthanasia is needed for those in serious pain.

But he says sometimes those people don't have the ability to make that decision for themselves.

"We believe that there'd be consequences in society and could be very real harm to groups of people, elderly people, people with disabilities," he says.

Archbishop Dew says there are plenty of opportunities for pain relief and to give people the dignity of being cared for, rather than taking their life.