(LifeSiteNews) — With profound sorrow and deep moral concern, I address the recent vote by the New York State Assembly to pass the so-called “Medical Aid in Dying Act.” While the bill has not yet become law – it must still pass the New York State Senate and be signed by the governor – this troubling development demands our immediate attention and faithful witness.
This legislation, which would permit physicians to prescribe lethal drugs to terminally ill individuals, represents a grave offense against the dignity of human life and a dangerous shift in our society’s understanding of compassion and care.
The Catholic Church teaches, without exception, that every human life is sacred from conception until natural death. To directly and intentionally end a human life – even under the guise of mercy – is morally unacceptable and impermissible. As Pope St. John Paul II wrote in Evangelium Vitae, “Euthanasia must be called a false mercy, and indeed a disturbing perversion of mercy.” (EV, 66)
True compassion does not eliminate suffering by eliminating the one who suffers. Rather, it means walking with the sick and dying and offering authentic palliative care, emotional support, and spiritual accompaniment. It is in these moments – when we are most vulnerable – that we must be reminded that our worth is not measured by our health, our productivity, or our independence, but by the fact that we are beloved children of God who are made in His image and likeness.
READ: You must oppose assisted suicide even if you’re not Christian: here’s why
This bill not only endangers the sick and elderly, but also weakens the ethical foundations of the medical profession. It introduces a logic of despair where there should be hope, and isolation where there should be community. Lawmakers who would support and vote for this legislation must know that doing so would not only enable the unjust taking of innocent human life, but it would also put their own souls in grave danger of eternal separation from God.
I urge lawmakers in the New York State Senate, healthcare professionals, and all people of goodwill to reject this culture of death and instead build a culture of life where each person is cherished, accompanied, and protected, especially in the hour of their greatest need.
Let us pray for the conversion of hearts and for a renewed commitment to the Gospel of Life.
This article was originally published by Bishop Joseph Strickland on X.
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