Public support for euthanasia: a matter of eternal life and death
By John Smeaton | 30 April 2025
On Easter Friday, the Catholic faithful gathered outside Parliament for a public recitation of the Rosary, in response to Voice of the Family’s appeal. The event marked the midpoint of a 54-day Rosary crusade against euthanasia, which threatens to be legalised by the UK Parliament by the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. A decisive debate takes place on 16 May, with MPs voting for the final reading of the Bill either on the same date or on 13 June (albeit these dates could change).
We met opposite the Houses of Parliament, beside the statue of King George V (1910–1936), whose physician later admitted to euthanising him. Friars from the Marian Franciscans and a Dominican friar from the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary travelled from Portsmouth, Dundee and North London to join members of the laity in earnest prayer, under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the unborn and of the Americas, where battles against legalised euthanasia and abortion continue to rage.
Our voices rang out above the Westminster hubbub of traffic and tourists, as we sang the Regina Caeli and recited the Rosary, begging Our Lady to crush the head of the ancient serpent and slay the “giant of euthanasia” as David slew Goliath, and to give new strength to Catholic bishops to exclude Catholic parliamentarians from receiving Holy Communion if they dare support the Bill publicly in any way.
Thanks be to God, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, individually and collectively, have indeed spoken out strongly against the assisted suicide legislation before Parliament. However, this is not enough, as history shows.
Tragically, in 2014, after speaking out against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, a message was sent to Catholic legislators from the Catholic bishops which stated, “There are no plans by any Bishops in England and Wales to deny communion to Catholic MPs or peers who voted in favour of same-sex marriage legislation last year.” According to The Scottish Catholic Observer, the message to Catholic parliamentarians was authorised by the Bishops’ Conference, whose president is Cardinal Nichols.
In the event, 47 Catholic MPs voted in support of the Conservative government’s same-sex marriage legislation, 28 opposed it and 7 did not register a vote on the issue, as the legislation was passed by a massive majority.
Not only is the eternal salvation of legislators and others who support evil legislation at stake, it’s also an historic, fatal strategic error on the part of bishops worldwide to fail to warn Catholic legislators of their obligation, under pain of grave sin, to receive Holy Communion in a state of grace. They do so on the grounds of not wanting abortion, IVF, human embryo experimentation, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, parents as the primary educators of their children, etc. to be seen as ‘Catholic issues’. Instead of a show of strength, the bishops prefer to make a display of weakness.
As a consequence:
- The message goes out loud and clear to governments and legislators of all faiths and none that it’s OK by the Catholic Church to pass legislation favouring these evils
- The numbers of abortions in the US, the UK, Ireland and countless other countries worldwide continue to rise and abortion is deemed acceptable in the opinion of Catholics, along with IVF, euthanasia, human embryo experimentation and same-sex marriage.
- The scandalous example of Catholic legislators, such as US Vice-President Vance, who openly declares his support for abortion in certain circumstances, for the legal availability of the abortion pill and for IVF, costs countless lives in nations around the world.
Voice of the Family, therefore, calls on Catholics in the UK and worldwide, to join us in the remainder of our 54-day Rosary Crusade, in thanksgiving and entrustment to God’s merciful providence in giving us so good a Mother, and pray not only for the defeat of the assisted suicide legislation currently before the UK Parliament but also for bishops around the world to muster their graces of state and pastoral charity to warn legislators not to come forward to receive the Holy Eucharist if they publicly support euthanasia, abortion and other intrinsic evils, issues described by Pope Benedict XVI as “not negotiable”.
Click here for a briefing on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, and on how to write to your Member of Parliament.