from Religion Media Centre
Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop John Sherrington have warned that Catholic homes and hospices may close if the Assisted Dying bill passes its third reading on Friday.
In a statement, they say amendments that would have allowed such institutions not to be involved in assisted suicide, have been rejected. “A right to assisted suicide given to individuals is highly likely to become a duty on care homes and hospices to facilitate it. We fear that this Bill will thereby seriously affect the provision of social care and palliative care across the country. Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice, in the face of these demands, but to withdraw from the provision of such care”.
They conclude that the risk can only be averted if the Commons rejects the bill.