Physician assisted suicide is still illegal in Illinois. Praise God.
The Illinois General Assembly’s lame duck session ended on Jan. 7, 2025, with no movement on Senate Bill 3499, the bill that would have legalized such life-ending steps in Illinois for people diagnosed with terminal illness.
Yet, advocates for life have work ahead. Proponents have repackaged the bill and already entered it for consideration in the new 104th session in Springfield as Senate Bill 0009. We must continue to witness to the fact that the alleviation of suffering must never be confused with the elimination of the suffering person. We must continue to point to the better way forward of expanding the number and availability of palliative care, mental, and social support programs in Illinois for the sick and infirm.
The bill’s stalemate in the 103rd session can be attributed to multiple factors, including the actions of the coalition formed by the Catholic Conference of Illinois to oppose the legislation, particularly actions during the month of December when it looked as if proponents were about to push for a vote in the New Year.
Also, of much importance in stalling the bill were the actions taken by the faithful, who emailed, called, or visited their district offices, expressing their opposition to the legislation. Thank you!
We thank further those who prayed for defeat of the legislation, especially those who prayed, beginning December 29 on the Feast of the Holy Family, either the St. John Paul II Novena for Life or via our Hallow app prayer campaign.
These efforts combined to ensure that assisted suicide proponents knew that the issue is controversial in our state. Life advocates will not cease in our opposition.
By observing the legalization process in other states, we know that perseverance is characteristic of assisted suicide proponents. State legislation is proposed and reproposed year after year until legalization finally passes. Then bit by bit, the supposed safeguards in initial legislation, that only make a horrific law more palatable, are repealed through subsequent laws.
This is a long-haul battle to protect the sanctity of human life, especially when our lives are ending, or when we are infirm, disabled, poor, underinsured, or when we have an illness treatable at monetary levels much higher than the low cost of drugs to end our lives.
Physician assisted suicide immorally hastens ending human life. Legalizing assisted suicide exposes vulnerable individuals to manipulation and possible abuse. The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and dozens of medical groups oppose physician assisted suicide.
We Catholics are familiar with long-haul battles for life! We are experts at decades-long prayer and advocacy. God calls us to speak to the inherent dignity of all humans due to our creation in His image and likeness. God sends us on mission to love those who have differing political and moral and religious views. We are the folks in the room who speak Truth with love.
Every human community has built itself on the recognition of the basic human right to the common good. Physician assisted suicide is not a common good. It is suicide.
Fellow witnesses for life, we need to stay strong in opposing assisted suicide.
Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, 24/7, confidential help if you are in distress or if you need resources for you or your loved ones. Stay up to date on this and other issues by texting LIFEDIGNITY to 84576 to receive our Flocknotes.
