Vatican official says Pope Francis serves as an example to all elderly

ROME – A leading Vatican official says euthanasia is never the solution, and that Pope Francis’s shows that the elderly have lives that are worth living.

Father Alexandre Awi Mello, secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, was speaking on Tuesday after the presentation of the pontiff’s message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

“Just saying that in old age they will continue to bear fruit, is a message for all those who have had this idea of euthanasia cross their minds, because in reality, even in suffering, even in prayer, a sick person who is going through a very difficult situation, even terminal, can live a life that bears fruits and are a real contribution to the life of the Church and of society,” said Father Alexandre Awi Mello, secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.

“The Church will never silence her prophetic voice in these matters, because we truly believe in the inalienable gift of life, which is a gift of God, and it is not in our hands to decide about it,” he said. “Therefore, the voice of the Church continues to be the defense of life at all stages, from conception to natural death.”

Speaking with Crux at the side of the presentation of the message, the Brazilian priest said that the more the elderly can be with their families, the better.

“But if you need to take the extreme decision to take them to a home for the elderly, you should not abandon them, ‘park’ them there,” Mello said. “They cannot be discarded. I believe that, with his example, the pope is showing us the way: Euthanasia should not cross our minds, because it is neither a humane nor a Christian solution.”

Mello said that in his message, Pope Francis writes that during the old age, “which catches us by surprise, no matter how we prepare for it, we have to be prepared to bear fruit and to continue working, believing and having hope, giving our contribution even when many times we lack physical strength. In his case, continuing to work regardless of his knee pain. It is not only about being seen in a wheelchair, but actually continuing to deliver his message, even despite the pain we know he must be feeling.”

The fact that, during old age, a person can continue to build a better life both for the Church and society is the core message of Pope Francis’s text for the World Day for Grandparents, to be marked July 24 this year. This applies to the many who have suffered “in a special way” due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who today are suffering due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” because many have had to remain, unable to leave their country.”

“Once more, the pope is putting his finger on the wound, meaning, where society is lacking, where society is giving a counter-witness,” Mello said. “It is there where the pope wants to pay most attention. From the beginning of his pontificate, the elderly have been a priority for Pope Francis, because they are the ones being discarded by society.”

At the presentation of the papal message, American Cardinal Kevin Farrell referred both to Pope Francis’s health and the impact the war in Ukraine is having on the elderly.

“The pope, perhaps more than most of us, sees and suffers in his heart” for the people of Ukraine, he said. “There are no words to describe the horrors and suffering that is going on. Eldelry people and young children are the ones who suffer more than anybody. They are the ones who suffer the consequences” of the “human tragedy that is this war.”

Farrell said that the “whole world” needs to come together and pray for an end to the war, and that until this happens, the Catholic Church will continue to do what it always does: Pray for these people, help in any way possible, intervene and appeal to bring this terrible tragedy to an end.

As for Francis’s health, the prelate said that the pope “accepts his limitations at this moment with a great spirit, a great heart.”

“I think he’s an example to all of us,” he said. “We should not hide the fact that with age comes a lessening of our ability to play a part in the world. He shows us also that with the limitations that he has physically and with age, that he is not going to stop.”

According to the prelate, Francis is an example “to all old people,” showing that everyone has a message to the world, with the elderly having experience in both life and suffering, and at this particular time in history, those in their old age have seen or heard first-hand accounts of what war and violence do to the world.