Catholic religious sisters who take care of the dying won’t be forced to participate in New York’s “suicide counseling mandate” while a federal court case continues.
The religious orders, along with a Catholic bishop and his diocese, are suing over a New York law that goes into effect on Wednesday, August 5. In addition to making it easier for someone to commit assisted suicide, the lawsuit says it requires “healthcare providers to inform patients of and counsel them about the option to kill themselves,” as Legal Insurrection previously reported.
Attorney General Letitia James and the Becket Fund agreed on July 30 that several religious orders and Catholic health care ministries will not be forced to provide information to terminally ill patients about their option to kill themselves, at least for the time being. New York has until August 20 now to respond to the lawsuit with a motion to dismiss, if it so chooses.
The Becket Fund has filed a federal lawsuit and dubbed the requirement a “suicide counseling mandate.”
Catholic healthcare entities do not have to provide the suicide drugs themselves but would be forced under this law to help a terminally ill patient find someone who would.
The original lawsuit details other problems with the law:
Individual physicians could still be required to inform, counsel, and qualify patients for assisted suicide; private healthcare facilities could still be prevented from prohibiting physicians from informing, counseling, and qualifying on-premises, or even prescribing off-premises; and assisted living homes could still be required to allow their patients to kill themselves in their facilities.
Rockville Bishop John Barres said the temporary agreement is a good first step.
“This agreement is an important first step towards protecting religious freedom,” he stated through the Becket Fund.
“New York cannot force the Church to answer suffering with suicide or abandon the sick and dying when they need care most,” he stated.
Catholics will “continue to proclaim that every human life is sacred and worthy of love until its natural end.”
Among the plaintiffs are the Little Sisters of the Poor and the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne. The latter are separately challenging New York for attempting to force it to accommodate gender-confused individuals at its home for terminally ill cancer patients.
The superior general of the Dominican sisters reiterated the importance of their mission.
“We at Rosary Hill, continue our foundress’ intention to bring the healing spirit of Christ and His Church to those who are most in need while asking nothing in return. NY state’s decision not to enforce this law against us means that we can continue our loving service to Christ’s poor.”
[Featured image via Becket Fund]
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