Assisted Suicide: Catholics are urged to make their views known

Introduction
Very many people of all faiths and none will be concerned about a Bill to legalise Assisted Suicide in England and Wales which will be debated in the House of Commons on 11th September 2015.  This private members Bill, introduced by Rob Marris MP, will have a free vote and it is important that people make their views known to their own MP ahead of this extremely important debate.  

Information about the issues, together with resources and guidance will be circulated to all parishes in the next week or two. There are excellent resources: on the Bishops Conference website www.catholicnews.org.uk/assisted-suicide and the website of the Anscombe Bioethics centre www.bioethics.org.uk 

All Catholics are strongly urged to contact their own MP as soon as possible to express their concern about the dangerous impact which such a Bill would have on the most vulnerable people. MPs do listen to their own constituents. What is needed is more and better palliative care, not assistance with suicide. 

Correspondence
Response from Withington MP Jeff Smith to email from Fr Wilson:

Dear Bernard
Thank you for contacting me recently concerning assisted dying and the Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill that is due to be debated in the House of Commons on 11th September.

I appreciate that end of life care and the law concerning assisted dying are extremely complex and emotive issues, and that there are strongly held ethical and moral arguments on both sides.

That is why it is important there is an opportunity for Parliament to debate this issue and to consider the differing views that people hold on assisted dying. It is welcome, therefore, that the Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill is scheduled to be debated in the Commons shortly. As you know, this Bill would enable adults who are terminally ill to be provided, at their request, with medically supervised assistance to end their own life.

I believe there should be a change in the law to allow assisted dying for terminally ill patients, subject to clear safeguards. This would enable terminally ill patients to choose to end suffering at the end of their life, should they wish to do so. I also believe would this would provide much needed clarity around the law on assisted dying, which has led to serious concern in a number of cases in recent years.

It is vital that there are strong, appropriate and clear safeguards to support any change in the law on assisted dying. I understand that the Rob Marris’s Private Members Bill, the Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill, will seek to ensure that such safeguards are in place.

I also believe that much more needs to be done to improve care for those with terminal illnesses, and to support carers who provide essential care to people at the end of life. This, along with earlier and faster diagnosis of terminal conditions, would also help improve patients’ quality of life at this extremely difficult time.

Thank you once again for writing to me and for sharing your views. I can assure you that I will continue to bear in mind the points you raise as the Bill progresses through Parliament.
Best wishes
Jeff Smith
MP for Manchester Withington

Correspondence
Response from Fr Wilson in response to the previous email from Withington MP Jeff Smith:

Dear Jeff Smith MP,

Thank you for your considered response to my earlier email re the Assisted Dying (No2) bill that is due to be debated in the House of Commons on 11th September this year.

I wish to make it clear that as one who has been with a number of people in the last stages of life I am not speaking of common perceptions or newsworthy 'Hard Cases'. Moreover, as a trustee and member of the board of governors of Francis House Children's Hospice, in your constituency, and parish priest at St Catherine's RC Church Didsbury, I am in a special position of knowledge and trust. Additionally my Masters Degree embraces study of Ethical and Moral issues.

I refer to the present Bill as Assisted Suicide. Not to be emotive but to counter the term 'Assisted Dying' as if it were some passive non aggressive procedure. The Bill as you describe it is about a choice that is made to deliberately end a life in order to avoid perceived future pain and suffering. What we need is a healthy approach to a hospice led understanding of end of life care. No person needs to die in pain there is no need to end life early to avoid it.

I agree that that the law which allows British residents to use foreign based death houses to end their life and with no consequences for those who procure the service on their behalf needs amending.

As for a moral argument in favour of suicide or assisted dying to use your preferred term, I'm afraid there is no such thing it is a contradiction in terms to claim a 'moral' argument for any act that is its self, evidently immoral! (Or perhaps we can pass another bill like the one that changed the meaning of the word 'marriage').

There are strongly held views that people have a 'right.' To end their own life. While I disagree, I don't believe that such a right exists, I may be persuaded that such a choice should not be criminalised. However, The Bill in question relies on a third party and an NHS staff that is forced to allow the procedure and to cooperate in its application.

The ethical considerations are at the heart of the debate. Allow me to dismiss the Hard Cases that will be raised by the press and by looking back at long term coma patients, etc. These lead to bad law, and you will not want to be any part of that!

We are not making law on the basis of majority popularity of a given view but on the basis of what is Right and Wrong. In a 'free vote' you have an opportunity to follow your consciences: you must inform your conscience on this matter by proper reflection in prayer but also in study, take advice from wise people who know the subject, do not be guided by the mob.

If you would like to meet with me in the constituency to discuss this or any other issues will be pleased to accommodate you.

Yours in Christ,
Rev. B. Wilson. MA. PP.

Correspondence
Response from Withington MP Jeff Smith following Fr Wilson's email:

Dear Revd Wilson,

Thanks again for your email about the assisted dying bill due to come before parliament in September.

I agree that it's very important that MPs listen to arguments from both sides of the debate to inform our decision on how to vote, and I am grateful for your comments.

I also agree that this will come down to an ethical view on the right and wrong of the situation.  It's still my view at this stage that it is right that the decision on how to end their life in particular circumstances should be left to the individual.

As you will know, the bill will apply to a person who is terminally ill, expected to die within six months, who has the mental capacity to make the decision and who has been separately assessed by two doctors. If all this applies, and a person wishes (after due consideration) to be helped to end their life, I believe they should be given that option. In my view the "wrong" in that situation would be to leave someone suffering - whether their pain be physical or mental - instead of giving them that option.

We should of course ensure that appropriate palliative care is available, but if the person does not want to go through the difficult last stages of a terminal illness, I think we should respect that choice.  (We should not require them to contemplate either a risky and uncontrolled suicide attempt, or the expense and stress of a trip to a clinic abroad at what is their most difficult time).

I am still taking all views into consideration on this difficult issue, and I'm grateful for getting in touch.
Best wishes
Jeff Smith MP