Catholic leaders sue Illinois over assisted suicide law

Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Chicago Archdiocese, along with two orders of Catholic nuns—the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor—and an Illinois pharmacist have filed a lawsuit to block the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (EOLOA).

The lawsuit, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, challenges the law on the grounds that it forces Catholic healthcare ministries to violate their religious teachings regarding the sanctity of life. Plaintiffs argue that the state is presenting religious providers with a choice between abandoning their faith or facing significant fines and penalties. The law, signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker, allows terminally ill patients with a life expectancy of six months or less to request and ingest life-ending medication and is scheduled to take effect on September 12.

The suit names the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as defendants. While opponents of the suit argue that medical aid in dying is voluntary for healthcare professionals, the plaintiffs contend that the state is discriminating against those who refuse to participate in assisted suicide.