Inquiry into Assisted Suicide

I am writing to inform you that the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry into assisted suicide and is inviting individual members of the public and interested organisations to comment, and also to suggest what actions might be helpful for the debate. 

Options include a 'Citizens’ Assembly', further independent research, or a referendum.

I would be grateful if you could inform parishioners of this Inquiry and ask healthcare and legal professionals to respond from their expertise.

Assisted suicide presents profound dangers to public safety and the common good, and so it is crucial that as many people as possible engage with the Parliamentary Inquiry and oppose the introduction of assisted suicide into UK law. It is especially important that those who respond should oppose the idea of a 'Citizens’ Assembly' or referendum on this issue, as these are easily abused to try to legalise assisted suicide.

Pope Francis has constantly taught against assisted suicide, euphemistically called, 'assisted dying', as have earlier pontiffs. 

"All life has inestimable value even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live forever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect." (Pope Francis, Message to Catholics participating in Day for Life in Britain and Ireland, July 28, 2013) "Physician-assisted suicide is part of a “throwaway culture” that offers a “false compassion” and treats a human person as a problem…True compassion does not marginalise anyone, nor does it humiliate and exclude - much less considers the death of a person as a good thing." (Pope Francis, Address to Directors of the Orders of Physicians of Spain and Latin America, June 2016)

"More and more lonely elderly people exist in big cities, even in situations of serious illness and close to death. In such situations, the pressure of euthanasia is felt, especially when a utilitarian vision of the person creeps in. In this regard, I take this opportunity to reaffirm once again the firm and constant ethical condemnation of every form of direct euthanasia, in accordance with the Church's centuries-old teaching." (Pope Benedict XVI, February 25 2008)

As believers, how can we fail to see that abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide are a terrible rejection of God’s gift of life and love? And as believers, how can we fail to feel the duty to surround the sick and those in distress with the warmth of our affection and the support that will help them always to embrace life?” (St. Pope John Paul II)

The Catholic Church is clear that we can never assist in taking the life of another, even if they request it. All life is sacred from conception until natural death, and we reiterate our call for investment in high quality palliative care. Our call is one for assistance in living and not assistance in committing suicide.

Statements of the Bishops' Conference can be found at https://www.cbcew.org.uk/category/cbcew/life-issues/assisted-dying/

The Anscombe Centre can also help the response. They have produced a statement and resources about this Inquiry: https://bioethics.org.uk/news-events/news-from-the-centre/anscombe-centre-statement-on-commons-hsc-committee-inquiry-into-assisted-suicide/.

The timeframe for answering the consultation is a short one. Submissions must be in by Friday 20 January but happily the format of the Inquiry is simple, and not time-consuming – just six questions.

To aid public engagement, the Anscombe Bioethics Centre has produced a short two-page Briefing to help anyone interested in responding, whether as an individual or as an organisation. The relevant links for the questionnaire and for longer responses are included in this document.

Anscombe Bioethics Centre Briefing (PDF)

Anyone with any questions can contact the Anscombe Centre at admin@bioethics.co.uk.

Be assured of my prayers, as we mourn the death of Pope Benedict XVI and pray for the repose of his soul, 

+John 

Bishop John Sherrington

Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster