What You Need to Know About DNRs, Hospice & Advance Directives (Ep. 4)

Should Catholics sign a do not resuscitate order, a living will, or an advance directive? Who should hold durable power of attorney? And how do you evaluate hospice care so your loved one isn’t denied food, water, or the sacraments?

In this episode, Fr. Shenan Boquet discusses preparing for end-of-life decisions before a medical crisis occurs. Father Boquet explains why families should talk through end-of-life planning in advance and walks through Catholic medical directives, advance directives, living wills, durable power of attorney, healthcare proxies, and POLST orders.

Fr. Boquet also explains why a medical decision is not automatically a moral decision — and why Catholics must weigh treatments by ordinary vs. extraordinary care, i.e. benefit, burden, and excessiveness. Rather than treating a do-not-resuscitate order as automatically right or wrong, he explains why its morality depends on the circumstances and whether CPR would be ordinary or extraordinary care in that case.

The conversation also covers Catholic hospice and palliative care, including the questions families should ask providers about nutrition and hydration, pain management, do not resuscitate (DNR) policies, and access to the sacraments. Father emphasizes interviewing providers, communicating Catholic principles clearly, and maintaining vigilant oversight of a loved one’s care.

Most importantly, Father Boquet frames end-of-life care as a pilgrimage toward an encounter with Christ. Preparing for death isn’t just medical paperwork — it’s accompanying a person spiritually and helping them prepare to meet the Lord. He closes with two stories of holy deaths that show the importance of family, prayer, the sacraments, and accompaniment.

In this episode:

• Conversations to have before a medical crisis
• Catholic advance medical directives
• Living wills and their limitations
• Durable power of attorney and choosing a healthcare proxy
• POLST orders
• Can a Catholic sign a DNR?
• Ordinary vs. extraordinary care
• Catholic teaching on food and water
• Catholic hospice and palliative care
• Questions to ask a hospice provider
• Pain management and end-of-life care
• Access to the sacraments
• Redemptive suffering
• Avoiding euthanasia and “false compassion”

Previous Episodes in This Series:

Episode 1: Watch our discussion of ordinary vs. extraordinary care and nutrition/hydration at the end of life here: What Guides Catholic End-of-Life Decisions? A Foundation for Every Family (Ep. 1) | Human Life International

Episode 2 covered ethical pain management at the end of life. You can watch this discussion here: Can Catholics Use Morphine for Pain Management? | End of Life Ethics (Ep. 2) | Human Life International

Episode 3 covered practical application of ordinary vs. extraordinary care: When Can Catholics Stop Life Support? Ventilators, Pacemakers & Feeding Tubes (Ep. 3) | Human Life International

Resources Mentioned in Episode

More information + links to helpful resources: Advance Directive Options & Catholic Living Wills | HLI

Free e-book: Ethical End-of-Life Care — walks through all three pain-management scenarios covered in this episode with Catechism citations: End of Life Decisions | Human Life International

USCCB’s Ethical and Religious Directives, 7th Edition: ERDs-7th-ed-Approved

National Catholic Bioethics Center Medical Directive Guide: Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions – PDF Download (English) — The National Catholic Bioethics Center

Catholic Medical Association Medical Directive Information: Advanced Directives – Catholic Medical Association

Knights of Columbus End of Life Care Information: Do No Harm: A Guide to Human Dignity and Morally Sound End-of-Life Care

Need guidance right now? The National Catholic Bioethics Center runs a 24-hour ethics hotline, referenced directly in this episode: Contact Us — The National Catholic Bioethics Center

The information provided in this episode and accompanying resources is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal or medical advice. Laws and regulations regarding advance directives, healthcare proxies, DNR orders vary by state and jurisdiction. Please consult a qualified attorney, healthcare professional, or other appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstances.