Health Care Directive

Make Your Wishes Known: Essential Resources for End-of-Life Decisions

Download and Print Essential Documents

Ensuring your healthcare decisions are respected when you cannot speak for yourself is crucial. Minnesota Catholic Conference has developed two resources—Minnesota Catholic Health Care Directive and Guide to End-of-Life Decisions—to help you prepare and make morally sound healthcare decisions in alignment with Catholic teachings.

Download and print the documents below to get started.

Minnesota Catholic Health Care Directive

Download the Minnesota Catholic Health Care Directive PDF:

• Health Care Directives: A Catholic Perspective (Background Information + Directive) – Revised December 2022
• MN Catholic Health Care Directive – Single Page Front & Back (Signature block updated October 2022)

About the Directive: “Health Care Directives: A Catholic Perspective” answers common questions while guiding you through completing a health care directive. This booklet also includes the Minnesota Catholic Health Care Directive that meets state legal requirements and reflects Catholic teachings. In addition, the Single Page Front & Back document contains the same Minnesota Catholic Health Care Directive but in a simpler format.

Guide to End-of-Life Care Decisions

Download the Guide to End-of-Life Care Decisions PDF:

• Guide to End-of-Life Care Decisions (Revised December 2022)

About the Guide: This guide provides an ethical primer on making medical decisions regarding life-sustaining treatments within the Catholic Tradition. It supplements the “Health Care Directives: A Catholic Perspective,” offering clear, concise information to aid in morally sound decision-making during serious illness.

Spanish Versions

Download Spanish Versions:

• Directivas Anticipadas para el Cuidado de Salud
• Una sola página - Directivas Anticipadas para el Cuidado de Salud
• Una guía para decisiones sobre los cuidados al final de la vida

How to complete your Catholic Health Care Directive

Additional Information

For professionally printed copies or further assistance, email us at [email protected] or call our office at 651-227-8777.

Parish Presentations

Parishes and organizations can present the guide without needing permission and may bring in their own speakers to do so. However, listed below are speakers approved by each diocese to give presentations on the guides and end-of-life matters, in general. It is customary to provide speakers with honoraria for their time and any associated expenses.

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

• Deacon Stephen M. Najarian – [email protected] 612-787-1184

Diocese of Winona:

• Fr. Will Thompson – [email protected] 507-282-8542
• Fr. Tim Hall – [email protected] 507-375-3542

Diocese of St. Cloud:

• Fr. Thomas Knoblach – [email protected] 320-251-3764

Diocese of New Ulm:

• Dr. Francille (Frani) Knowles – [email protected] 507-276-3070

Catholic Cemeteries: Funeral Planning and Cemetery

Pre-planning your funeral and cemetery arrangements is a loving gesture that ensures your wishes are known, alleviating stress on your loved ones during a difficult time. Catholic Cemeteries family services counselors are trained to assist you in this important task.

For more information on pre-planning your funeral options and cemetery, visit The Catholic Cemeteries website.

• life and bioethics
• health care