End of life pastoral resource

This page offers pastoral resources for those in ministry attending to individuals and their families at the end of someone’s life. “End of life” is a phrase chosen to encompass all forms of death that would not be referred to as natural causes; such as, voluntary assisted dying, suicide, terminal illness, accident.

The initiative for these resources came from the Victorian and Tasmanian Governments’ respective VAD legislation. These resources are for the Church’s ministry in a pastoral context, where VAD has been chosen following the appropriate legislated processes. They are not to suggest an agreement, or otherwise, with the legislation. They simply position the pastoral carer/minister as a non-judgemental pastoral presence offering ministry to those affected.

A minister/pastoral carer should NOT BE INVOLVED in the influencing, discernment, or decision-making of an individual in these matters. The related laws make clear that this is a medical decision, with prescribed and strict procedural steps. There is criminal liability in circumstances of undue influence, coercion, or inducement to influence a person to make or approve a request for voluntary assisted dying or self-administer voluntary assisted dying substances. Due to the unique vulnerability of persons accessing Voluntary Assisted Dying and ministers/pastoral carers, it is imperative that consent of a person accessing voluntary assisted dying has been free and informed and there has been no influence exerted.

However, where a person has freely provided informed consent and chosen to access Voluntary Assisted Dying, a minister/pastoral carer may provide end of life pastoral care to that person and, where appropriate, to their family, friends, and other loved ones throughout that Voluntary Assisted Dying process.

Further resources (with links) are welcome. Please send through suggestions to nigel.hanscamp@victas.uca.org.au