He downplayed reports that it was anything more than a study and said "we are in the first stage" and that it was scientific in nature and would not extend to assessing morality. On two occasions he opposed the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments, including artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH), from patients had spent years in a vegetative state. In 2005, when Terry Schiavo died after the withdrawal of life support after 15 years, he said: "Let’s stop with the euphemisms—they killed her." In 2009, he called the withdrawal of ANH from Eluana Englaro after 17 years "monstrous and inhuman murder". On 18 April 2009, Pope Benedict accepted Lozano Barragán's resignation for reasons of age and appointed Zygmunt Zimowski to the post. In retirement The following December, Lorenzo Barragán condemned the use of the RU-486 pill as "a crime that demands punishment". He described its authorization as "worse than liberalizing the sake of weapons". That same month, he discussed the Church's teaching on homosexuality and salvation. He said media reports attributing to him the view that homosexuals can not be saved had misconstrued his reference to Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans which condemns individual homosexuals. He said scripture can not be used to condemn all homosexuals. Rather, he said that "many times one is not a homosexual through one's own fault; it all depends on one's education and environment." He offered the view "that for grave fault to exist, in addition to needing grave matter, one needs full knowledge and full consent: Where one of those three conditions is lacking, there is no grave fault." Having been ten years as a cardinal deacon, he was promoted to Cardinal-Priest of Santa Dorotea by Pope Francis on 12 June 2014. Lozano Barragán died in Rome on 20 April 2022. In offering his condolences, Pope Francis noted they had been friends since 1980. References External links 1933 births 2022 deaths Mexican cardinals People from Toluca 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Mexico Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II