Pope Francis and Perinatal Palliative Care: Advancing the Culture of Mercy.

Abstract

For the last 25 years, the Popes of the Roman Catholic Church have been vocal proponents of palliative care in an effort to promote human dignity, decrease human suffering, and discourage euthanasia and suicide. They have supported efforts to expand the scope and provision of palliative care. Recently, Pope Francis has focused on the need to provide perinatal palliative care. He has emphasized the need to do so as an act of mercy, love, and solidarity. His approach builds on the main pastoral theme of his Papacy, the mercy of God. This article outlines the thought of Pope Francis on the mercy of God and how he wishes to see this mercy motivate and invigorate not only the Church but all people. Perinatal palliative care becomes a further outgrowth of the love and mercy we show one another. It is a pastoral practice encouraged by the Church and consistent with Catholic doctrine and the mission of Catholic health-care facilities.