The House of Commons' approval of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is a fundamental change to English society, said Cardinal Vincent Nichols in a statement released on Friday, June 20, following the vote.
"The vote in the House of Commons in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is a watershed moment in the history of our country," said Cardinal Nichols in the statement, which was posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales' website. The cardinal is the archbishop of Westminster and the current president of the bishops' conference.
The bill passed its third reading, the final time it could have been amended or blocked in the House of Commons, by just 23 votes.
"The task is now clear: Every effort must be made to limit the damage that will be done by this decision" said Cardinal Nichols.
"This duty lies both on the House of Lords and on His Majesty’s Government. The list of challenges is long. It has been well rehearsed in recent weeks by responsible bodies and distinguished individuals, including the Public Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care whose recommendations have yet to be discussed."
Never a burden
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill legalizes "adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life; and for connected purposes,” says the website for the U.K. Parliament.
During the debate over the bill, there were many appeals made to "personal autonomy," noted Cardinal Nichols.
This, he said "cuts both ways: the provision of a choice to die cannot exclude the provision of properly resourced care for those who choose to live until a natural death."
Catholics, said the cardinal, "will continue to play our part in the building of the common good. The decision of Parliament does not change our firm belief in the sanctity of life, never simply a burden, but always a gift of God, given and received."
Our duties are clear: to live by the teaching given to us by God; generously to accompany with care and compassion those facing disability, isolation and suffering; to continue to put forward, with respect and clarity, the objective norms that inform our firm beliefs on how to live, and to die, well.
Shocked and disappointed
Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said in a separate statement on Friday, June 20, that he and his brother bishops were "shocked and disappointed" that the bill passed through the House of Commons.
"This Bill is flawed in principle with several provisions that give us great cause for concern," said Bishop Sherrington.
He continued, "The Catholic Church believes in promoting a culture of life and compassionate care. Allowing the medical profession to help patients end their lives will change the culture of healthcare and cause legitimate fears amongst those with disabilities or who are especially vulnerable in other ways."
Additionally, said Bishop Sherrington, he and his brother bishops are concerned about the future of palliative care options in the country.
"Experience suggests that, unless there are explicit protections, hospices may be required to co-operate with assisted suicide. If this were to happen, the future of many Catholic institutions could be under threat," he said.
While this latest update was discouraging, Sherrington noted that "this is not the end of the parliamentary process, and we should not lose hope."
We ask the Catholic community to continue to pray for members of parliament whilst they consider this legislation and to pray that government will act to promote and protect life from conception until natural death.
"We have expressed the view, during this debate, that genuine compassion involves accompanying those who need care, especially during sickness, disability and old age," said Bishop Sherrington.
"The vocation to care is at the heart of the lives of so many people who look after their loved ones and is the sign of a truly compassionate society. As we stated after the second reading, it is essential that we nurture and renew the innate call that many people have to compassionately care for others," he said.
Rather than euthanasia or assisted dying, the bishops "believe that improving the quality and availability of palliative care offers the best pathway to reducing suffering at the end of life," said Bishop Sherrington.
"We will continue to advocate for this, and we ask the Catholic community to support those who work tirelessly to care for the dying in our hospices, hospitals and care homes."
