Euthanasia dispute: Vatican gives religious order its last chance

All the deadlines have passed, and conversations have been held: now the Vatican gives the Belgian Brothers of Charity the last chance to comply with to the doctrine of the Church.

The Vatican wants to invite the Belgian branch of the Brothers of Charity (Broeders van Liefde) to discussion on active euthanasia. They are to be given the opportunity to explain their point of view, according to the press release of the General Administration of the Brothers of Charity in Rome, published on Monday. The meeting in Rome was the last chance for the organisation to reconcile itself with Catholic doctrine, according to the statement.

On Friday, Rene Stockman met with representatives from the Vatican and informed them about the current situation. On September 12th, the Belgian organisation of the Brothers of Charity had reaffirmed its position to no longer rule out active euthanasia for the mentally ill in the non-terminal stage. The organisation manages 15 psychiatric clinics in Belgium.

Since its foundation in Ghent in 1807, the Order of the "Broeders van Liefde" has been particularly committed to the care of the mentally ill. In Belgium, they look after 5,500 patients; they are responsible in Flanders for one third of the beds in the area of ​​mental illness. The Order has 603 members worldwide and is active in 31 countries

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Making a mockery of the intentions of their founder, Canon Petrus-Jozef Triest

The way they used to live

The way they live now.  

The Belgian superior second from left, although identifying him as a priest would be difficult.   He has spoken, however, of the shame that his Belgian brothers are bringing to his order.