Catholic health care systems have been aggressively expanding in the US. It is estimated that one-sixth of the hospital beds available in th

This column first appeared in the San Antonio Express News on April 6, 2018. Dear Mr. Premack: I have lived here in Texas my whole life and am a strong conservative who believes that government should stay out of my business. Too bad for me, I’ve been diagnosed with a degenerative terminal illness. When I asked my doctor about making a choice for myself about ending my life before I lose all my capabilities, the doctor said the government was in this most personal of my busin

This column appeared in the Express News on July 27, 2016. According to the article in MySA, Jerika Bolen lives in Appleton, Wisconsin and suffers from type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, a painful and terminal condition. She has indeed decided to turn off her ventilator so she can die peacefully at home with her family. The story is heart-rending, and sadly not unique. Avoiding life-sustaining treatments, which will result in natural death, is very different than ending a life v