Church teaching on suicide?

[ziapueblo]

Greetings all,

Can anyone point me in the direction towards the Churches teaching on suicide? It could be Scripture, the Catechism, the early Church Fathers or any other Church document.

The reason I ask is because a non-Catholic Christian family member said something like, “only Catholics believe that someone who committed suicide is going to hell and its not even in the Bible.” Of course, I’m not sure if the Church actually teaches that or not. You know how it is, a Catholic leaves the Church and all of a sudden they become experts on Catholic teaching, lol!

That peaked my curiosity on the subject and am looking for an answer.

Thanks all and God bless,
ZP

 

[stringbeanduck]

This is what the Catechism has to say about suicide-

2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.

2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

2283 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.

In other words: The Church does not teach at person who takes their own life goes automatically straight to Hell. Nor is anyone capable of making that determination. Only God knows the fully the state of minds of those who kill themselves. However, the Church teaches suicide is grave matter, which means it can be mortal sin if a person meets the other criteria- full knowledge, and full consent to go through with it. When people die in a state of mortal sin they go to hell. So while the Church acknowledges that people can go to hell for taking their own life, it’s not definite yes in every case.

 

[PatrickSebast]

The church also believe this is an opportunity for a final confession upon death so if you instantly regretted your suicide then that could save you as well. Most people who survive suicide attempts seem to express regret for it too, so it isn’t like it is impossible for someone to change their mind once things were set in motion.

Anyway I blame the movie Constantine for why 90% of people believe this. It was a mildly entertaining movie, but it preached so much off the wall theology while calling it Catholicism that one can’t help but be a bit frustrated watching it. Here is an example:

John Constantine: Jesus didn’t die from being nailed to a cross. He was killed by a soldier’s spear.
Angela Dodson: The Spear of Destiny. I’m a Catholic, John. I know the Crucifixion story.

I mean, I know it is fiction, and honestly I don’t think it would annoy me near as much if people didn’t actually believe it. Oh, and the main character of the movie is walking around in constant belief that he is going to because he committed suicide when he was young and actually died for 5 minutes and suicide is supposedly an unforgivable sin.

 

[DaveBj]

Suicide could be said to be the ultimate in irrational decisions. I’ve heard someone say (not in the context of Catholic teaching, just in a general context) that someone who commits suicide could be considered insane at the moment that he/she carried out that decision.

DaveBj

 

[ziapueblo]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for your posts. They are very helpful!

God bless,
ZP

 

[TheDoctor]

The church also believe this is an opportunity for a final confession upon death so if you instantly regretted your suicide then that could save you as well. Most people who survive suicide attempts seem to express regret for it too, so it isn’t like it is impossible for someone to change their mind once things were set in motion.

Amen.

There is a story attributed to St. John Vianney, who was said to have the gift of prophetic insight, (The Remarkable Cure’ of Ars" by Michel De Saint Pierre): “A widow once came to him in great agitation, worried that her husband had gone to hell because he had committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. The saint told her to be at peace because her husband had repented between the bridge and the water.”

Since God is out of time we don’t know how “long” the moment of death is or exactly when in that moment we are judged.

 

[StevenFrancis]

Excellent article from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Suicide

The Cathecism:

Suicide

2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him.
It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life.
We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls.
We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us.
It is not ours to dispose of.

2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life.
It is gravely contrary to the just love of self.
It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations.
Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.

2282 If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal.
Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.
Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

2283 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.

Hope this helps,

God Bless,

Steven

 

[lutherlic]

Suicide could be said to be the ultimate in irrational decisions. I’ve heard someone say (not in the context of Catholic teaching, just in a general context) that someone who commits suicide could be considered insane at the moment that he/she carried out that decision.

DaveBj

I’ve heard that too and think that it’s mushy gunk. In essence, it says that the person is not culpable by definition.

 

[lutherlic]

Greetings all,

Can anyone point me in the direction towards the Churches teaching on suicide? It could be Scripture, the Catechism, the early Church Fathers or any other Church document.

The reason I ask is because a non-Catholic Christian family member said something like, “only Catholics believe that someone who committed suicide is going to hell and its not even in the Bible.” Of course, I’m not sure if the Church actually teaches that or not. You know how it is, a Catholic leaves the Church and all of a sudden they become experts on Catholic teaching, lol!

That peaked my curiosity on the subject and am looking for an answer.

Thanks all and God bless,
ZP

Since no one has addressed the “not even in the Bible” part, “you shall not kill” is a fairly clear commandment. This Google search will provide a bunch of other citations.

 

[DaveBj]

I’ve heard that too and think that it’s mushy gunk. In essence, it says that the person is not culpable by definition.

Everyone can draw his/her own conclusions. I did say that it was not in a Catholic context, so culpability was not an issue.

For my part, I wouldn’t want to eat my gun and hope that God would hold me unculpable.

DaveBj