The joy and fatigue of life” “

“Life is made to be lived”. God “did not create us for our own self-destruction”, but to “discover the joy of life and to create the conditions so that all human beings can live in dignity and serenity”. These are the words of Irish bishops in a pastoral letter, “Life is for living. Reflections upon suicide” published on the occasion of the Day for Life, which was celebrated on 3 October (cf. SIR no. 68/2004). The rate of suicide in Ireland – which stands at 15,5 men per 100,000 and 4,2 women per 100,000 – stands slightly below the European average which, according to Eurostat, is 18,3 per 100,000 for men and 5,8 per 100,000 for women. The highest rates of suicide are in Finland (41,8) Austria (33), France (30,2), Switzerland (29,6), and Denmark (22,9). What most concerns the Irish bishops is the progressive increase in suicides among young men (aged between 14 and 30) for whom suicide is the second most common cause of death after road accidents. NO TO RESIGNATION. “Until the recent past suicide was rare in Ireland”, the bishops write, “In the last few years however, many of the factors that supported people and prevented them from committing” such an act “have broken down. Economic progress” has been accompanied by a widespread “weakening of faith and of a loss of the idea of life as a gift of God”. Moreover, “with the commendable intention of removing the stigma that surrounds families after the suicide of a member, the conviction that suicide is an unacceptable option has been worn away”. The bishops go on: “nobody wants to see a return to old fashioned attitudes of condemnation and stigmatisation, yet it must be recognised that suicide in our society has become a terrifying reality to which we must all face up”, rejecting any kind of “resignation to the idea that little can be done to prevent it”. LIGHT BEYOND THE SHADOWS. “At different levels, entire generations and many individuals have found themselves struggling with darkness, both in themselves and within society”, the bishops say. “From time to time, shadows fall across our lives” and some people may feel they “are always condemned to live in darkness. But despite the weight of suffering, the shadows melt away in the end”. “Our faith assures us that if, when in solitude and pain, we turn to God, then we will be able to triumph”. This is “the heart of Christ’s message: He offers man the chance to take suffering seriously, to face up to it and to overcome it”. Making reference to certain episodes of the Old Testament where God came to the assistance of the wretched, the bishops exhort the men and women of today to “trust in God” when they are “tempted to give in” because of the heavy burden of “personal and family problems, illness, or the fear of a painful death”. THE BEAUTY OF LIFE. “Life today promises easy and rapid solutions to almost everything, … yet we know that even in an Ireland that has been blessed with extraordinary economic progress over the last few years, this is only partly true” and that “there are no easy and instantaneous solutions to the disasters of life, which many marvellous people have not been able to withstand”. However, there are people who have come through and “today we wish to honour those who continue to struggle; we particularly call on the young to ‘hang on’ and to discover the wonder and beauty of life”. The bishops also insist on the importance of listening and of dialogue. “Men, in particular, seen incapable of speaking of their difficulties, but it must be remembered that ‘communication defeats depression'”. Hence their invitation, in case of need, to contact those organisations that have made listening and psychological support their mission. UNITE EFFORTS. Finally, some thought is given to the families of people who have committed suicide, oppressed by pain and often tormented by remorse for not having realised in time what their beloved relative was planning. “No-one deserves such a burden” the bishops observe, referring to the testimony of a person who attempted suicide and who, “the nearer he came to the moment to carry out his intention, the more his behaviour became calm and positive” in order to allay possible suspicions. The bishops address an appeal to “individuals, families, schools, universities, civil society, government, the media and healthcare institutions” to unite their efforts “in order to better understand the causes of suicide, cure and support those at risk, and console and ‘accompany’ the families” of those who have made the extreme gesture, so that “everyone in our country feels they are important and loved”.