WATCH BISHOP DAVID READ THE LETTER HERE
Bishop David Oakley has issued a strong call to prayer and action against the Terminally Ill (End of Life) Bill, which is currently under parliamentary scrutiny. In a pastoral letter, the bishop expressed deep concerns about the implications of legalizing assisted suicide, warning that the proposed safeguards are unravelling.
“The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have already submitted evidence to the Bill Committee emphasising that this legislation is unworkable,” the bishop stated. He stressed that uncertainty around predicting life expectancy, the potential impact on palliative care, and moral concerns from both religious and secular perspectives make the bill deeply problematic.
Citing St. Paul’s words, “Death is swallowed up in victory,” the bishop reminded the faithful of the Christian hope in eternal life and the duty to uphold the sanctity of life. He urged Catholics to take two concrete actions: pray for the sick, medical professionals, and lawmakers, and write to their MPs to voice opposition.
Anticipating potential discouragement, he encouraged the faithful with St. Paul’s exhortation: “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.”
With the bill set for further debate in Parliament, the bishop’s message reinforces the Church’s unwavering stance against assisted dying and its commitment to protecting life until natural death.
