Cardinal Cupich and Catholic nuns sue Illinois to block medical aid-in-dying law ahead of Sept. 12 start

Chicago’s Catholic archbishop, two orders of Catholic nuns and other plaintiffs filed a federal lawsuit Thursday to block the state from enforcing a controversial Illinois law set to take effect on Sept. 12. The law, known as the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, allows terminally ill patients—those given up to six months to live by a doctor—to request and ingest life-ending prescription medication. The lawsuit names Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Little Sisters of the Poor Chicago Province and a downstate pharmacist among its plaintiffs. It names three state officials as defendants: Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health; Mario Treto Jr., secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; and Terry Prince, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

The plaintiffs argue that the law conflicts with federal law, which bans the use of federal healthcare funds for assisted suicide and prohibits Illinois from discriminating against those who refuse to participate in the practice. They claim the law forces Catholic healthcare providers to choose between abandoning their religious beliefs regarding the sanctity of life or facing significant fines and penalties. Spokespeople for Vohra and Prince declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. A spokesperson for Treto could not immediately be reached for comment.

The law, which was signed into law by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in December, emerged after years of debate in the state Capitol. The Catholic Church was one of the most vocal opponents during the legislative process. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal challenge to similar laws in Illinois and New York, with separate suits filed in June seeking to halt medical-aid-in-dying laws in both states.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, a proponent of the law but not a party to the lawsuit, called the legal challenge “sad to see the willful misreading” of the act. The organization emphasized that medical aid in dying is voluntary for healthcare professionals, entities, and terminally ill Illinoisans. The law does not force anyone to provide or choose this end-of-life option; no one is required to provide the care. It provides only that people be informed of their options and that a patient’s request be respected when applicable.

The lawsuit highlights the tension between religious freedom and state legislation on end-of-life care. The plaintiffs argue that the law infringes on the rights of Catholic healthcare providers to act in accordance with their faith. The case will likely test the boundaries of religious liberty in the context of state law and public health policy. As the law prepares to take effect, the legal battle underscores the ongoing debate over the role of religious beliefs in shaping medical and legal practices.

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