“The assisted suicide is a false charity” with alarming consequences that must be rejected, said the Bishop of Rockford (United States), Mons. David J. Malloy, given the possibility that the general assembly of Illinois approves this practice.
The prelate referred to the bills of the Senate (Sb 9) and of the Representatives Chamber (HB 1328) that would legalize assisted suicide for people with terminal diseases.
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Mons. Malloy pointed out that those who defend both projects claim that they will put “end to suffering at the end of life.”
However, he warned that “even if it has good intentions, assisted suicide is a false charity. It brings many alarming consequences that, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to reject.”
Therefore, he encouraged the faithful to not only pray and fast to stop both projects, but also write or call “the elected officials of their state to vote ‘no’ to this legislation.”
Indicated that entering the website From the Catholic Conference of Illinois or calling 217-528-9200 you can ask for information about “how to contact its local elected official and tell him to vote ‘no’ to SB 9 and HB 1328”.
Assisted suicide affects the most vulnerable
In his letter, Mons. David Malloy reiterated that “assisted suicide is clearly not the compassionate solution for those who suffer.”
He said that where this practice has been legalized “there are documented cases of insurance companies that refuse to cover the necessary attention of terminal patients, while covering the small cost of medications that result in the end of life.”
Therefore, “all the main national organizations that represent people with disabilities oppose assisted suicide.”
In addition, “experience shows that it is especially people with low resources and disabilities who run a higher risk, since they are the most vulnerable to these abuses.”
“There is no way to prevent vulnerable people from being coerced or intimidated to put an end to their lives once this assisted suicide is legal. The American medical association (AMA) has summarized the arguments well Against assisted suicide: ‘Suicide assisted by a doctor is fundamentally incompatible with its healer function, it would be difficult or impossible to control and entail serious social risks. “
Palliative care are a charity response
Rockford’s bishop said that the Catholic Church “firmly believes that no one should suffer unnecessarily or have to see a dear to experience unnecessary pain and suffering.”
In that sense, he recalled that the history of Catholic medical care is full of testimonies of “compassion for those who suffer and for their loved ones”, demonstrating “love and respect for the gift of human life and dignity, even those who are sick or suffering.”
And now, “thanks to the advance of medical knowledge,” there are “effective ways to provide greater comfort to a person at the end of life through palliative care.”
He explained that this specialty “uses doctors led by doctors to serve the person in their entirety – physical, emotionally, socially and spiritually – and relieve the symptoms and stress that usually accompany serious diseases and the side effects of treatment.”
“Through palliative care, greater access to mental health care and greater family and community support, health professionals and families are finding better ways to accompany these people with compassion, which really confers the love and dignity of each human life,” said Mons. Malloy.
In addition to Illinois, in the states of Maryland and Delaware They have also presented projects to legalize assisted suicide.
If approved, the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the Columbia District, which have already legalized this practice would be added.
Eduardo Berdejo
Professional in Social Communication of the National University of San Marcos in Peru, I have more than 20 years of experience in Catholic digital journalism. As part of ACI Press, I have been sent to cover the trips of Pope Francis to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Peru, in addition to the Synod of Sinodality in the Vatican in 2023.