Catholic leaders sue Illinois over assisted suicide law

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, has joined two orders of Catholic nuns and an Illinois pharmacist in filing a federal lawsuit to block the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (EOLOA). The plaintiffs, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, argue that the law violates their religious freedom by potentially forcing Catholic healthcare ministries to facilitate assisted suicide.

The law, signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker, is scheduled to take effect on September 12. Plaintiffs contend that the legislation requires objecting healthcare providers to participate in the machinery of the act, such as informing patients of their right to end their lives and helping them qualify for lethal doses. The lawsuit names the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as defendants.