The Catholic Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland have issued a joint statement asserting that “compassion is under threat” from the assisted dying bill.
They highlight the Christian definition of compassion as “suffering with”, and warn that making assisted dying legal would remove the social need to empathise with and care for the terminally ill.
“Life is a gift to be protected,” it states. “Palliative care, with expert pain relief, and good human, spiritual, and pastoral support, is the right and best way to care for people towards the end of life.”
The bishops called on the government to improve funding for palliative care services, saying that the intentional protection of vulnerable people is “the foundation of civilised society”.
They also expressed concern that the bill marks a watershed moment in the relationship between doctors and patients, echoing an open letter to the Prime Minister by over 3400 health professionals, stating they did not want to be complicit in “the intentional killing of patients”.
“Assisted suicide raises serious issues of principle,” state the Bishops. “The time given for Parliament to consider the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which will permit assisted suicide is woefully inadequate. Although the Bill indicates safeguards will be in place, the experience of other countries where assisted suicide has been introduced shows that such promised safeguards are soon forgotten."
Kim Leadbeater MP insists that the bill is about “shortening death rather than ending life”.
The Bishops state that it could “radically alter the ethos of trust and support which underpins our service to those in need and their families”.
“We urge all people of good will to oppose this legislation and, instead, to advocate for better funded palliative care which is consistently available to everyone in need in England, Wales, and Scotland.”
They conclude: “On the cross, Christ united Himself to every form of human suffering and every person who suffers. In Him, life is changed, not ended. He shows us, in His own crucified and risen body, that love is always stronger than death."