Shrewsbury - Bishop Mark Davies has appealed to Catholics in the Diocese of Shrewsbury to contact their representatives in the House of Commons and urge them to vote against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted suicide for terminally ill adults.
The Bill is due to receive its second reading and be put to a vote on Friday, 11 September. In a message addressed to the faithful, Davies stresses the urgency of the matter and recalls previous attempts to change the law, including the House of Commons’ rejection of a similar proposal in 2015 and the controversial parliamentary process that began in 2024.
According to the bishop, the legislation substantially reproduces the same concerns already raised by medical and professional bodies, organisations representing disabled people, mental health experts and groups working to combat domestic abuse.
‘As Christians, we oppose medical killing in principle,’ Davies wrote, emphasising that the defence of the sanctity of human life is one of Christianity’s fundamental contributions to human civilisation.
The bishop nevertheless urged Catholics not to confine their intervention to a statement of principle. In their letters to MPs, he explained, they should highlight the practical dangers posed to some of the most vulnerable members of society, as well as the need to ensure adequate access to palliative care.
Davies also drew attention to ‘the wonderful work of our hospices’ and asked the diocese to pray for Members of Parliament, so that the Bill might be rejected. For the bishop, the response to suffering and terminal illness must be based on care, accompaniment and the protection of patients, without introducing into medical practice the possibility of intentionally bringing about their deaths.
