Standing firm on their belief that only God has the power over life and death, Catholic bishops from the US state of New Mexico welcomed a Court of Appeals ruling striking down a decision of a lower court, which considered assisted suicide as a constitutional right.

The Roman Catholic Church officials thanked God for the ruling, and maintained that the state does not have the right to take away life.

"Only God can give or take life and the state does not have the competency to shorten this precious gift, even for seemingly laudable purposes. While each stage of life is sacred, the end of life is filled with special meaning and opportunities," the bishops said.

The New Mexico prelates also stressed that assisted suicide should not be seen as a compassionate act, but a way to suffering that will "blind us to the meaning of life."

The bishops also said that true compassion only comes from Jesus Christ, who lived his life to the fullest and sacrificed so that humankind can be saved.

"Christ showed what true compassion is when he died for us that we might live forever with him in heaven. The way to prepare for that ultimate reality is to live our lives as fully as possible until God calls us home."

They added that genuine compassion "invites us all to journey with our loved ones as they prepare for eternal life, sharing and easing their suffering as we assure them that we are with them every step of the way."

The New Mexico bishops also encouraged residents of their state to view pain and suffering in the Christian way.

"All too often, our society sees pain as the enemy while in fact suffering often accompanies genuine growth and new opportunities. The answer to suffering is not death but rather the grateful acceptance of life while at the same time managing pain through proper medications and the support of loved ones," they said.

In a decision last Aug. 11, the New Mexico Court of Appeals, via a 2-1 majority decision, ruled that "aid in dying is not a fundamental liberty interest."

The ruling reverses a ruling by a lower court in January last year invalidating a 1963 law making assisted suicide a felony.