Deacons who are medical doctors are available to clergy with questions regarding beginning and end of life issues. Specifically, these issues may be related to Natural Family Planning, infertility, or contraception. End of life issues involve advance directives, hospice and palliative care, ordinary and extraordinary treatments, pain control, or withdrawing life support. As experts in both Catholicism and medicine, the deacons are available to speak at parishes about beginning and end of life issues and how they relate to church teachings. With permission they provide second opinions and provide information in lay person terms for patients and their families.

They give referrals as to facilities that might be best for the patient’s situation, and have, when requested, testified at Congressional hearings. They provide a loving and comforting presence.