Human compassion fills our hearts with sadness when we hear about an individual who wishes to end his or her life to escape the pain and suffering of illness, disability, or disease. The fear associated with such devastating human conditions is real and legitimate. However, as Pope Francis has noted, we must be careful not to yield to a false sense of compassion. Our Holy Father reminds us that we must never take a human life—even, or especially, our own, since “this is a sin against...