‘Pope Francis has encouraged ordinary Catholics everywhere to resist euthanasia and to protect the old, the young and the vulnerable.’ Pope Francis at the Vatican earlier this month Photo: ©MASSIMILIANO MIGLIORATO/CPP/IPA MilestoneMedia/PA Images Debate over end-of-life treatment is raging in Australia after the introduction of euthanasia laws in the state of Victoria this week. Other states are looking at similar legislation. Four of Victoria’s Catholic bishops signed a pastoral letter reaffirming their opposition to so-called Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) that became law on June 19, allowing terminally ill Victorian adults the right to request their doctor’s help to die. “We cannot cooperate with the facilitation of suicide, even when it seems motivated by empathy or kindness,” said Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli and Bishops Paul Bird (Ballarat), Patrick O’Regan (Sale) and Leslie Tomlinson (Sandhurst) in the letter. “All of us who hold a principled opposition to euthanasia are now, in […]