(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois has denounced the passage of a pro-euthanasia bill by the state’s Senate earlier this week.
In a blistering critique of SB 1950, Bishop Paprocki rebuked not only the manner in which the legislation was approved but the attack it launches on human dignity.
“It is quite fitting that the forces of the culture of death in the Illinois General Assembly passed physician-assisted suicide on October 31 —a day that, culturally, has become synonymous with glorifying death and evil,” Paprocki noted in his statement. “It’s also ironic that these pro-death legislators did it under the cloud of darkness at 2:54 a.m.”
Breaking: The Illinois Senate passed physician assisted suicide in the early morning hours. Bishop Paprocki condemns the action:
“It is quite fitting that the forces of the culture of death in the Illinois General Assembly passed physician-assisted suicide on October 31—a day… pic.twitter.com/3JwFl8XBrU
— Diocese of Spfld (@diospringfield) October 31, 2025
The so-called “End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act” was passed by a slim 30-27 vote in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 40-19 majority over Republicans. The bill previously passed the Illinois State House, where Democrats hold a 78-40 majority, in May. Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich denounced the bill at the time, arguing that it is not compassionate to help someone kill themselves.
READ: Celebrity artist dies by assisted suicide, further glamorizing the horror of euthanasia
The bill will now go to the desk of pro-abortion Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker, who is widely expected to sign it into law at some time in the next 60 days, a move that would make the Land of Lincoln the 12th state in the U.S. to allow the barbaric practice. The Catholic Conference of Illinois and the Patients Rights Action Fund is urging Pritzker to veto the bill.
“With the passage of legislation to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois, the Illinois General Assembly has put our state on a slippery path that jeopardizes the well-being of the poor and marginalized, especially those in the disability community and have foreseeable tragic consequences,” the Catholic Conference of Illinois has said.
Among other things, SB 1950 directs attending physician to inform patients who have a medical diagnosis of less than six months to live of “all appropriate end-of-life care options, including comfort care, hospice care, palliative care, and pain control, as well as the foreseeable risks and benefits of each, so that the patient can make a voluntary and affirmative decision regarding the patient’s end-of-life care.”
At 2:54 AM on the final day of the Fall Veto Session, the Illinois State Senate passed the legalization of assisted suicide in Illinois.
See how your Senator voted below.
Please continue to pray for vulnerable populations and for those who feel hopeless and are near end-of-life. pic.twitter.com/wepU96lq4V— Catholic Conference of Illinois (@CatholicConfIL) October 31, 2025
According to CatholicVote.org, the bill also requires the patient to make the request to end their life both verbally and in writing and to repeat their request verbally at least five days after their first request. Other guidelines are put into place purportedly to ensure that the request is made with full knowledge and consent.
The Catholic Church teaches that suicide or the intentional ending of one’s own life is gravely evil as man is not the author of his own life. “Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2324) affirms.
Paprocki defended the Church’s magisterium later in his statement.
“Make no mistake: killing oneself is not dying with dignity. Doctors take an oath to do no harm. Now, they can prescribe death,” he said.
“There are documented cases of patients being denied treatment and instead offered life-ending drugs. Individuals could also be coerced into taking the lethal drug. Physician assisted suicide undermines the value of each person, especially the vulnerable, the poor, and those with disabilities.”
