The Vatican is planning to summon members of a Belgian nursing order to Rome to explain why they are refusing to drop a policy which allows doctors to euthanise psychiatric patients in Church-run homes. Senior Vatican officials want to hear in person why board members of the Organisation of the Brothers of Charity insist on allowing the euthanasia of non-terminally ill patients despite being ordered to reverse the policy. The order had the backing of Pope Francis. Two weeks ago, the organisation publicly rejected the Vatican’s ultimatum with one board member, Herman van Rompuy, a former president of the European Council, proclaiming on Twitter that “the time of Roma locuta, causa finita is long past”. Brother René Stockman, the superior general of the Brothers of Charity who, unlike the board, opposes euthanasia, told the Catholic Herald that the Vatican’s invitation was the organisation’s last chance to conform to the Church’s demands. He said the Organisation of the Brothers of Charity, the group which runs the hospitals, “shall be invited by the Vatican to come and explain the taken decision, after which a final decision shall be taken,” he said. “With this is given to the Organisation of the Brothers of Charity in Belgium an ultimate chance to set themselves in line with the doctrine of the Catholic Church.” The Vatican, he said, was not willing to compromise on its own position and would in no way amend “its initial request in line with the doctrine of the Church to respect the life in all conditions absolutely”. The Vatican had initially demanded that the Brothers of Charity, which runs 15 centres for psychiatric patients across Belgium, reverse its policy, adopted in the spring, by the end of August. Brothers who serve on the board must sign a letter to their superior general declaring that they “fully support the vision of the magisterium of the Catholic Church which has always confirmed that human life must be respected and protected in absolute terms from the moment of conception till its natural end”. Those who refuse to sign will face canonical sanctions, while the group can expect to face legal action and even expulsion from the Church if it fails to change course. Brother Stockman, a psychiatric care specialist, turned to the Vatican after the group rejected a formal request from him to reverse the new policy.