Mandate Deals With End-of-Life Care at Catholic Hospitals

A new mandate from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urges Catholic hospitals to provide food and water to all patients in persistent vegetative states, including those who are not Catholic and do not want to be kept alive on life support.   The statement affects more than 500 Catholic hospitals nationwide.

• "Life Support Could Be Forced at Catholic Hospitals" (Bush, WAMU, 12/3).