Catholic Archbishop Joins Lawsuit Against New York Assisted-Suicide Law

Archbishop Ronald Hicks, the Archdiocese of New York, and the Catholic healthcare ministry ArchCare have joined a lawsuit brought by four orders of Catholic nuns and other Catholic healthcare ministries against New York’s assisted-suicide mandate. The case, Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm v. James, asks a federal court to protect Catholic healthcare providers from a new law that, according to the filing’s description, would require them to help terminally ill patients end their lives. On July 30, New York agreed to an order that temporarily protects the nuns and ministries named in the suit. Archbishop Hicks is now seeking the same protection for Catholic healthcare providers within the Archdiocese of New York.

Archbishop Hicks said, “As Catholics, we are guided by the compassion of Jesus to serve those of every background who are in need of healing. We refuse to allow New York to force us to harm the very ones we’ve been called to care for.”

ArchCare carries on the Catholic Church’s longstanding mission of caring for the sick. Its Mercy Hospital is known for end-of-life care and is described as the only fully accredited acute care hospital in the U.S. devoted exclusively to the palliative care of adult patients with life-limiting illnesses. Its Mother Cabrini Hospital is described as the only hospital in New York dedicated to children and young adults with serious developmental disabilities and complex medical needs. Through hospitals, nursing homes, home health services, hospice care, and other specialized programs, ArchCare offers medical care and accompaniment that, in its words, honors the dignity of every person from birth to natural death. ArchCare states that assisted suicide is entirely antithetical to its healing mission.

The plaintiffs say that the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and Catholic Health have already joined the challenge, and that ArchCare and other Catholic providers in the Archdiocese of New York are in the same position. Their position is that they cannot prescribe lethal drugs, direct patients to obtain them, or help facilitate a patient’s suicide in any way. The ministries argue that New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act would force them to counsel terminally ill patients about assisted suicide, help them qualify for lethal drugs, and direct them to providers willing to prescribe those drugs. According to the source, those who refuse could face significant fines, loss of professional licenses, and even time in prison.

Adèle Keim, senior counsel at Becket and attorney for the healthcare ministries, said, “These ministries have dedicated their lives to serving those in the most need of healing and compassion, especially at the end of their lives. Assisted suicide is completely incompatible with the compassionate care that the Sisters and ArchCare offer. We are urging the court to protect these Catholic ministries as they continue their life-saving work, rather than forcing them to help end lives like New York wants.” Keim’s remarks reflect the ministries’ own legal position, and the court has not ruled on the claims in the filing.

Becket represents Archbishop Hicks, the Archdiocese of New York, and ArchCare, alongside the Carmelite Sisters, the Dominican Sisters, the Benedictine Sisters, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Bishop John O. Barres, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and Catholic Health.

Source: Read the original report