In September 2020 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a Letter, Samaritanus bonus – on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life, composed of an Introduction and five Chapters. The final Chapter is twice as long as the preceding four put together and presents The Teaching of the Magisterium in treating the topics of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Two-thirds of the references/footnotes are dedicated to this final Chapter. This article aims to give an account and analysis of the first part of the Letter, viz. Introduction and Chapters I-IV.