Latest News Oppose Assisted Suicide News from the Bishops' Conference October 2024 We are calling on Catholics in England and Wales to unite in prayer and compassionate action to oppose assisted suicide. In early September 2024, when parliament returned and a Bill on assisted suicide – so-called assisted dying – started its passage through the House of Lords, our Lead Bishop for Life Issues, Bishop John Sherrington, called for Catholics to unite in prayer and compassionate action. That call is renewed now as on Wednesday, 16 October, the House of Commons heard the first reading of a new bill on assisted suicide tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. It will be debated on Friday 29 November. This is another attempt to legalise assisted suicide and we need you to contact your MP to voice your opposition. Act now! Contact your MP The charity ‘Right to Life’ has a simple online mechanism to do this. It takes little more than a few minutes to input your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law. Click here to contact your MP via the ‘Right to Life’ website. Pray We are a praying Christian community and, as Bishop Sherrington says, the legalisation of assisted suicide undermines the sanctity and dignity of human life. “The Catholic Church accompanies those suffering and nearing the end of their lives with hope and affection, but also reminds them that their life is precious until the very last breath,” he says. “In preparation for these challenging debates, let us offer our prayers for those facing the end of their lives, that they may receive the care and support they need to live their final days with respect for their dignity. “Let us also pray for our politicians and our country that wisdom and compassion may guide their decisions. I also urge all Catholics to become better informed about the serious problems associated with the legalisation of assisted suicide.” Bishops' Holy Hour - Wednesday 13 November Pastoral Letters Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Westminster, has issued a pastoral letter on assisted suicide that will be read in the churches of his diocese on the weekend of 12-13 October. Read Pastoral Letter Watch! Watch! Pastoral Letter for the Diocese of Portsmouth from Bishop Philip Egan Read! Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Nottingham, Bishop Patrick McKinney Read! Pastoral Letter from Bishop Peter Collins, Bishop of East Anglia Read! Pastoral Letter from Bishop Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds Read! Pastoral Letter from the Bishop of Lancaster, Bishop Paul Swarbrick Leaders of faith communities unite to express concern about assisted suicide Resources The Bishops’ Conference has also compiled a list of resources to help you stay informed about the issue and inform others about the dangers of assisted suicide: REASONSTen reasons to oppose assisted suicide QUESTIONSFAQs on assisted suicide DAY FOR LIFEDay for Life resources on end-of-life care 2024 POLLResults of a July 2024 poll revealing the majority of the British public opposes the implementation of assisted dying KNOWLEDGERight to Life Knowledge base on assisted suicide and euthanasia ARTICLEAn article revealing the Health Secretary does not believe the State of end-of-life care in the UK allows for assisted dying to be implemented safely HOSPICE CAREThe content in our Hospice section explains how hospices work and demonstrates why they are the jewel in the crown when it comes to palliative and end of life care. DOWNLOAD poster Watch! Do No Harm documentary Do No Harm is a short documentary which highlights some of the grave concerns around proposals to legalise assisted suicide in the UK and Scottish Parliaments. The documentary, which features Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Bishop John Keenan, Dr Gillian Wright, Lord David Alton, and Professor David Albert Jones, gathers together experts from the medical and palliative care professions, alongside prominent politicians, ethics experts and religious leaders, to construct a unified voice of unease. It spotlights key concerns around preserving human dignity and protections for vulnerable groups, and challenges the robustness of tabled safeguards in the UK legislation, by citing the experience of other jurisdictions which quickly eased access and expanded eligibility. Produced by ‘Being Catholic Television’ for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland. Manage Cookie Preferences