Dear Parishioners and Friends,
It has been about a month since the death of comedian Robin
Williams by suicide. Social commentators tell us that a suicide is committed every
13 seconds in the United States and there are more deaths by suicide than car
accidents. What does the Church teach with regard to suicide?
Suicide is taking one’s own life and is forbidden by the 5th
Commandment, “Thou shall not kill.” As the Catechism
says, suicide “contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to
preserve and perpetuate his life... It likewise offends love of neighbor” and
it “is contrary to love for the living God.” (2281)
Does committing suicide condemn someone to hell? Objectively speaking the answer is yes.
Suicide is a grave sin which, if done with full knowledge (knowledge of the
sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law) and
deliberate consent (sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice),
then the person is responsible for the grave sin and will suffer the eternal
consequences of their action.
It is good to keep in mind, however, that “grave
psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or
torture” can diminish someone’s responsibility (Catechism, 2282). Thus,
we should never assume to be able to ultimately judge a person’s level of
responsibility, most especially those who struggle with severe mental health
issues. Only God knows the heart.
Consequently, “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” (Catechism, 2283).
In Christ,
Msgr. Baker
Sunday,
October 5 
