Resources for Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning

• Catholic Health Association: Palliative Care Resources  
• Options to the Legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide 
• Key Messages for Health Care Ministry Leaders 
• Examining Diverse Perspectives of Catholics on Advance Care Planning, Palliative Care, and End-of-Life Care in the United States. 
• Palliative care growing, but many still lack access 
• Compassionate Palliative Care  
• Message from a dying patient  
• Palliative Care: It’s About Easing Suffering  
• Palliative Care: What and Why  
• Reflections — The Church and Palliative Care  
• Compassionate Palliative Care  
• Palliative Care: A Hallmark of Catholic Mission  
• Supportive Care Coalition, a network of Catholic healthcare organizations that promotes education about and implementation of Palliative Care  
• Catholic Health Association  
• US Conference of Catholic Bishops index of articles on Palliative Care  
• Pope Francis speaks on Palliative Care March 2015  
• Pope Benedict speaks on Palliative Care  
• Pope John Paul II speaks on Palliative Care  
• Massachusetts Catholic Conference  
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops  

• Advance Care Planning assistance and forms in English and Spanish, including the designation of a health care proxy, can be found at www.fivewishes.org. This material is consistent with Catholic teaching.

The Archdiocese of Boston Initiative for Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning was established in 2015.  Its goal is to provide education, outreach and advocacy that will create an informed public about palliative care, a multidisciplinary approach to the care of the seriously ill which is patient-centered and family-oriented.  The program also supports, promotes and provides education about Advance Care Planning which allows people to discuss and make known their wishes for care in anticipation of a time when they cannot speak for themselves.  Most importantly, the Advance Care Planning component of the initiative provides information about how to designate a health care proxy or surrogate decision-maker who will be their voice when they can no longer make or articulate their health care decisions.

PALLIATIVE CARE/ ADVANCE CARE PLANNING PRESENTATIONS  

In-person presentations are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 social gathering guidelines.  Live virtual presentations are available.  Please contact Suzanne for further information or call 617-746-5738.

New Palliative Care Video Series with Discussion
Aging from a Catholic Perspective (10/17/2020)

For further information about this initiative or to find out how a resource group can be formed in your parish or collaborative, please contact the office for the Initiative on Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning at 617-746-5738.

• Teachings of the Catholic Church - Caring for People at the End of Life  
• Advance Directives - Expressing Your Health Care Wishes        
• Benedict XVI Messages World Days of the Sick on Palliative Care 
• Pope Francis and Palliative Care M. Pannicola - presentation 
• Pope Francis on Palliative Care - March 5, 2015 
• John Paul II on Palliative Care, 2004 November 

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