Assisted Suicide

The Latest

West Virginia Delegate Pat McGeehan, a supporter of the state’s ballot measure to make assisted suicide illegal, said in an interview with “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” on Sept. 5, 2024, that he hopes the potential ban will be a “gold standard for other states to follow.”

West Virginia ban on assisted suicide ‘a fight worth fighting,’ state delegate says

Sep 6, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

“We’re trying to use it to serve as a beacon for other states who value the preservation of life, to... Read more

“The focus must be on providing care, not providing a cheap death,” Scotland’s bishops declared. Photo of the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh.

Scottish bishops: Assisted suicide leads to culture of ‘death on demand’ 

Aug 19, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

If passed an assisted-dying bill in Scotland would allow terminally ill adults over 16 to be provided with assistance in... Read more

St. Mary’s Catherdral, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Australian bishops release companion guide to address assisted suicide

Jul 31, 2024

By Daniel Payne

In Australia, all six of the country’s states currently allow assisted suicide, or “voluntary assisted dying.” Read more

Christ Church Cathedral (Holy Trinity) in Dublin, Ireland.

Irish bishops decry assisted suicide proposal as ‘a failure of hope’

Jun 24, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The Catholic bishops of Ireland issued a statement laying out the Church’s teaching on end-of-life issues and advocating for palliative... Read more

St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Family sues over hospital’s religious exemption for euthanasia

Jun 20, 2024

By The B.C. Catholic

The lawsuit filed in British Columbia’s Supreme Court on June 17 wants the province to remove the religious exemption. Read more

Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury, England.

UK Catholic bishop urges Catholics to consider end-of-life issues before general election

Jun 7, 2024

By Madeleine Teahan

Bishop Mark Davies of the Shrewsbury Diocese has issued a letter urging Catholics to consider candidates’ positions on euthanasia and... Read more

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Netherlands permits euthanasia for physically healthy 29-year-old woman

Jun 4, 2024

By AC Wimmer

Despite being physically healthy, the woman from Oldenzaal, a town near the German border, chose to end her life due... Read more

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Pope Francis to palliative care symposium: Euthanasia is a ‘failure of love’

May 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Pope Francis sent a message to an interfaith symposium on palliative care taking place in Toronto May 21–23. Read more

The Oregon State Capitol in Salem.

Oregon reports significant uptick in assisted suicides

Mar 28, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

Since the state’s passage of the “Death with Dignity Act” in 1997, assisted suicide numbers have been consistently rising there. Read more

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Canadian judge grants 27-year-old autistic woman’s request for assisted suicide

Mar 28, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The woman’s father argued against the decision, saying that his daughter “is generally healthy.” Read more

French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting with Governor of Spain at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on March 21, 2022.

French bishops condemn Macron’s assisted suicide bill

Mar 15, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Several French Catholic bishops this week roundly condemned a recently announced proposal by the Macron government to legalize the practice... Read more

Baltimore, Maryland

Assisted suicide proposal successfully rebuffed again in Maryland Legislature

Mar 6, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The proposal would have legalized physician-assisted suicide for certain patients with terminal illnesses. Read more

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Pro-life advocates fight against euthanasia expansions across Canada, Australia

Feb 21, 2024

By Daniel Payne

In Canada, euthanasia and assisted suicide have been legal for nearly a decade and in Australia all six of the... Read more

Father Patrick Pullicino, an English Catholic priest and neurologist, has been vindicated after being investigated by a UK medical regulation agency for giving his expert opinion in an emergency end-of-life case.

UPDATE: English Catholic priest vindicated for ‘pro-life’ opinion in end-of-life case

Feb 16, 2024

By Joe Bukuras

Father Patrick Pullicino, an English Catholic priest and neurologist, has been vindicated after being investigated by a U.K. medical regulation... Read more

Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal, Canada.

Archdiocese of Montreal sues Quebec government over MAID forced upon hospice

Feb 9, 2024

By Anna Farrow

Montreal’s Archbishop Christian Lépine is taking on the attorney general of Quebec. Read more

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Canada postpones assisted suicide for mentally ill: Country ‘not ready’ for it

Feb 2, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Canadians suffering from mental illnesses were expected to be able to apply for assisted suicide by mid-March 2024.  Read more

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, at the USCCB's fall meeting Nov. 15, 2023.

Maryland bishops denounce assisted-suicide bill

Jan 31, 2024

By Joe Bukuras

“We are deeply disappointed to learn that once again the Maryland General Assembly will debate whether to legalize physician-assisted suicide,”... Read more

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Assisted suicide will bring about ‘reduction in health care spending,’ report claims

Jan 25, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

The implementation of assisted suicide will “save” the Canadian health care system between $34.7 and $136.8 million, a new report... Read more

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Catholics in Massachusetts, New York urged to oppose assisted suicide bills

Jan 24, 2024

By Joe Bukuras

In both states efforts are underway to legalize assisted suicide. Read more

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Irish Medical Council strips directive banning ‘deliberate killing’ of patients

Jan 11, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The council changed its directive on end-of-life care to remove a line that said doctors should “not participate in the... Read more