A question that sometimes comes up when speaking about physician assisted suicide, is the Church’s teaching regarding suicide in any form.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church sums up this teaching in paragraphs 2280–2283. There it makes clear that we each have a responsibility to care for our lives and to use them to bring honor to God.
We are stewards of the great gift of life and not owners of it. Therefore, to mistreat or neglect ourselves, or worse yet, to take our own life intentionally, is contrary to the love of self, neighbor and God we each are called to.

This understanding underscores the Church’s teaching on assisted suicide to be sure. but apart from assisted suicide, we know that suicide in general is an all too real issue. Most of us, if not all of us, have known someone who has committed suicide.

Tragically, we likely know that suicide rates have skyrocketed in recent years, with rates rising in almost every category tracked. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, which released the results of a 15 year study this past April, the overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased 24 percent between 1999 and 2014. Indications are that this rate continues to grow by approximately 2 percent a year.

While researchers look for underlying causes for this increase, as Christians our questions focus not only on why someone commits suicide, but also on what happens to someone who has committed suicide.

The catechism, while clearly teaching that willful suicide violates the moral law, nevertheless offers extremely hopeful words. In particular, it recognizes that a person’s freedom, and therefore their moral responsibility, can be greatly diminished by “psychological disturbances” or “anguish” among other factors (CCC, 2282).

The key word, even though not used by the catechism in this instance, is “willful.”

Is a person freely choosing to commit suicide? Or are there other factors influencing the decision — factors like a serious struggle with depression? This is one reason why assisted suicide can be so egregious.

States in which it is legal require a physician to ascertain if there are any of these factors present. In theory, physicians are supposed to refer for further evaluation those they suspect may be influenced by depression, etc.

In other words, assisted suicide, is only supposed to be for those determined to be of sound mind who are freely and willfully choosing suicide.

This gets to the heart of Catholic teaching on freedom and responsibility. We’re responsible for our moral choices insofar as we make them freely. However, several things may interfere with our freedom (see CCC 1735, 1860).

These same factors which limit freedom are often present in one who commits suicide. A compromised freedom can translate into diminished responsibility for the actions we choose. It is for this reason that the catechism says what it does in paragraph 2283:

“We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to Him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary     repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.”

It is also this understanding which motivates the Church to have particular funeral prayers for those who die through suicide.

The Church always confronts the sad reality of suicide with trust and hope in God’s mercy and a recognition that our prayers for the person can have very real effects. With God’s mercy there can always be confident hope. Our prayers, penances and sacrifices may be the very things which help to open someone’s heart just enough to receive God’s Mercy.

If we have known someone who has died from suicide — recently or long ago, perhaps, as we near the end of this Jubilee Year of Mercy, our love for them can best be expressed by offering prayers, especially prayers like the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or by having Masses said, on their behalf.