Catholics urged to lobby Scottish Parliament as Jersey passes ‘dangerous’ assisted suicide law

Jersey’s parliament voted on 26 February for a law, described as ‘subversive, horrific and dangerous’ by Bishop of Portsmouth Philip Egan, which would allow assisted suicide for terminally ill patients with up to twelve months left to live.

A letter from the Scottish bishops was read at all parishes in Scotland this weekend, urging Catholics to lobby their Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) ahead of the final vote on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on 17 March.

The bishops said, “Over recent months, several Members of the Scottish Parliament who once supported the proposal have now either withdrawn, or are seriously considering withdrawing, their backing, recognising that the risks embedded within it are too grave to ignore.

“Their change of heart reflects a dawning awareness that coercion, especially the subtle, hidden coercion experienced by the most vulnerable, including the elderly, the sick, the disabled and those living with domestic abuse, cannot be reliably detected, let alone prevented.”

The bishops noted that parliamentarians have admitted that the bill is currently “incomplete, unworkable and irresponsible”, and warned that in countries where assisted suicide has been introduced, “narrow criteria have widened over time, placing ever more people at risk – not because of unbearable physical suffering, but because they feel abandoned, isolated, or burdensome”.

The bishops stressed, “True compassion is not found in hastening death but in walking with those who suffer, ensuring they receive the medical, emotional, and spiritual care that affirms their inherent worth. Every person – regardless of age, illness, disability, or circumstance – is a gift from God.

“There is no such thing as a life without value. Our task as a society is not to eliminate suffering by eliminating the sufferer, but to surround every individual with love, support, and dignity until their natural end.”

Jersey’s parliament voted on 26 February for a law, described as “subversive, horrific and dangerous” by Bishop of Portsmouth Philip Egan, which would allow assisted suicide for terminally ill patients with up to twelve months left to live.

The vote is however not the end of the process, as the bill will have further legal and constitutional hurdles to overcome before it can be implemented.

Bishop Egan, whose diocese includes the Channel Islands, said in a statement on 2 March: “Assisting someone to die prematurely or to commit suicide, even when they earnestly request it, can never ever be a compassionate action.

“We must not yield to the temptation to apply rapid solutions, moved by false compassion or by the criteria of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Instead, we need to show respect and tenderness to patients who are seriously ill so that the sacred value of their life can shine forth with splendour in their suffering.  

“Modern palliative care should be strengthened and properly resourced, not sidelined in favour of a system that treats ending life as an easier solution than providing care… When the law signals that some lives may be ended in response to suffering, those who are elderly, disabled, isolated or dependent can begin themselves to feel under pressure, subtle or overt.”

Bishop Egan encouraged the faithful to pray for medical staff, “who by profession are committed to helping and healing the sick not killing them”, and for all those involved in palliative care and support for the elderly.

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