Is it suicide to jump from a collapsing building?

[Bullfighter]

I was listening to a program on a Catholic radio station one day and the show’s host and guest were discussing the World Trade Center events on 9-11-2001.

Someone asked if the people who jumped from the buildings committed suicide by doing so. I can’t imagine that it would be, if they were almost certain of their deaths and just trying to avoid the pain of suffering as anyone would.

But then again, that situation happens to people dying of diseases too.

What is your opinion?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

It would depend on the person’s reasons for jumping, which there is no way to know. For all we know, some of the jumpers that day might have thought there was some small chance of survival by jumping while there was absolutely no chance of survival by staying put.

Even if a jumper knew he was taking his own life, mortal sin requires grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. To take one’s own life is grave matter, but knowledge and consent may be mitigated by the fear and chaos experienced by those who faced the terrible events of that day.