The fully Catholic understanding of life, illness, and death needs to be given anew to the world. It is a great treasure.  It's a very positive message.

But secularism, self-ism, emotionalism, materialism, and a creeping atheism have distorted our society’s views of life and death.  Suicide, physician assisted suicide, and a rejection of all pain are now growing in favor and acceptance. 

Natural death and illness are “realities” allowed by God, and so they ought to be sanctified, that is, made holy, with God’s grace and our trusting cooperation.  God gives us ways to do this (e.g., strength from the Sacraments, prayer, good spiritual direction).

What is the purpose of our life and death: God's glory, through our union & deep intimacy with Him.  Death approached correctly can serve God’s will.

His will is: closer union with each of us, on His own terms, and our union with each of our loved ones.  He wills to use our life and death to help us grow in holiness until our last breath.