Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool and Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s call for greater investment in palliative and social care ahead of Parliament’s consideration of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
The Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted suicide, is due to return to the House of Commons for its Second Reading on Friday 11 September.
Speaking ahead of the debate, the Prime Minister said that palliative care and social care funding need to be “fixed” so that vulnerable people can have “peace of mind” about the care they receive towards the end of their lives.
Responding to these comments, Archbishop Sherrington said it was “highly significant” that the need for properly funded palliative and social care had been recognised before Parliament debates what he described as the “fundamentally flawed” Bill.
He said:
“People who are dying are vulnerable and need compassionate care and spiritual accompaniment until their last breath.
“We have consistently called for meaningful investment in palliative and end of life care as an appropriate focus to uphold the dignity of all at the end of life and opposed a bill seeking to legalise assisted suicide.”
The Archbishop warned that while many Catholic hospices and care homes already provide exceptional end-of-life care, the sector remains significantly underfunded. He also expressed concern that legalising assisted suicide could threaten the future of hospices and other providers whose mission is rooted in compassionate care.
The Catholic Church believes that every human life is a gift from God and possesses an inherent dignity that must be protected from conception until natural death. Rather than changing the law to permit assisted suicide, the Church continues to advocate for high-quality palliative care, effective pain relief, emotional support, and spiritual accompaniment for those approaching the end of life.
Archbishop Sherrington has urged parliamentarians to reject the legislation when it returns to the House of Commons on 11 September, saying:
“I once more urge parliamentarians to vote against this dangerous legislation on 11 September and to work together to ensure that our palliative and social care services can be held up as examples of truly dignified care at the end of life for all.
Contact your MP
Ahead of the debate on 11 September, Catholics and all people of goodwill are encouraged to contact their Member of Parliament and respectfully ask them to vote against the Bill.
Both the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and Right To Life UK provide simple online tools to help you write to your MP.
Please continue to pray for those who are seriously ill, for their families and carers, for healthcare professionals, and for all who have responsibility for shaping laws that uphold the dignity of every human life.
Photo Credit: CBCEW
