With agreement from the state of Illinois, a federal judge ordered the state not to enforce its assisted-suicide mandate against Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, two orders of Catholic nuns, and a small-town Illinois pharmacist.
In Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm v. Prince, Becket asked a federal court to protect the Catholic healthcare providers from the law, which takes effect on September 12. This order me
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For nearly 175 years, Catholic healthcare ministries have been a refuge for the sick, elderly, and dying across Illinois. Today, that work includes Catholic hospitals treating millions of patients each year, the elder-care ministries of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the efforts of the many faithful Catholics working in health care, like small-town community pharmacist Luke Vander Bleek. All of them serve patients according to their Catholic faith, which calls them to heal and protect human life, not end it.
That means they cannot prescribe or dispense lethal drugs, direct or refer
Illinois also threatens religious caregivers for speaking a life-affirming message against suicide, imposing a gag order on their care. EOLOA’s definition of coercion and undue influence is so broad that it risks punishing the Sisters
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago:
“I welcome this decision of the court that stays the enforcement of the provisions of the Illinois End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (EOLOA) that require healthcare providers, against their conscience, to participate in assisted suicide by compelling them to inform patients of the ‘benefits’ of suicide and their ‘right’ to kill themselves, and also help them qualify for lethal drugs, or pass them along to someone willing to help them obtain those drugs. These obligations violate core constitutional protections of freedom of speech and religion. The law with these provisions must be struck down permanently. To be clear, the Church’s objection to this statute is not an attempt to impose Catholic teaching on non-Catholics; it is an effort to stop the State from compelling Catholic health care providers to violate their conscience.”
Mother Mary Rose Heery, O. Carm., Prioress General of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm:
“This agreement brings real peace of mind to our Sisters, our residents, and their families. It allows us to continue our vocation of showing Christ’s unbounded lov
Mother Julie Marie, Mother Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Little Sisters of the Poor:
“As Little Sisters of the Poor, we are called by God to offer healing, hope, and comfort to the most vulnerable. We will never betray that calling. Thanks to this agreement, we can remain true to our mission.”
Luke Vander Bleek, pharmacist and owner of Fitzgerald Pharmacy in Morrison, Illinois:
“All I want is to serve my neighbors as a pharmacist while remaining faithful to my Catholic beliefs. This agreement means I can keep doing exactly that when the new law takes effect, without being forced to fill prescriptions for suicide drugs.”
Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and lead attorney for the healthcare providers:
“It’s hard to imagine a more blatant attack on religious freedom than forcing Catholic nuns to help people commit suicide. Illinois was right to agree to the court’s order. We look forward to ending this mandate for good and protecting the right of patients to spend their final days with those who will offer them compassionate, life-affirming care.”
