The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗦𝗣𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗽𝘁-𝗢𝘂𝘁

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is deeply disappointed by the decision of the Scottish Parliament to reject all institutional conscientious objection amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.

Every organisation has guiding values that shape its mission and practice and, for many faith‑based organisations, including Catholic hospices and care homes, these values are fundamentally incompatible with the introduction of assisted suicide.

The future of such institutions, which so faithfully and compassionately serve their local communities, some for hundreds of years, is now uncertain if the Bill passes.

The Bishops’ Conference maintains that no organisation should be compelled by the State to participate in the deliberate ending of life when doing so would violate its ethical or religious principles.

The Bishops’ Conference urges MSPs to reject the Bill, ensuring that organisations providing critical care services are not forced to decide between acting contrary to their foundational values or closing.

MSPs have voted against an amendment that would have prevented doctors from raising assisted suicide with patients unprompted.

Without this safeguard, vulnerable people could be exposed to conversations about ending their life at moments of fear, illness or pressure.

This raises serious concerns about how the Assisted Dying Bill could affect those who are elderly, disabled or seriously ill.

This bill is a danger to vulnerable people and must be rejected.

Contact your MSP today and ask them to vote against the Assisted Suicide Bill:
👉 https://carenotkilling.scot

The more we KNOW, the more we say NO!

Yes another MSP withdraws his support for the McArthur Assisted Dying Bill.

The more we KNOW, the more we say NO!

Contact your MSP to reject this bill
👉🏼 www.carenotkilling.scot

Gospel
Luke 11:14-23
‘Whoever is not with me is against me.’

At that time: Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the crowd marvelled. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons’, while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.’

One of the most serious concerns about assisted suicide legislation is this: safeguards do not work.

We only have to look at countries that have already introduced these laws. In places such as Holland, Belgium and Canada, what began with strict limits has steadily expanded. Boundaries shift. Protections weaken. And the most vulnerable are placed at risk.

Safeguards written on paper are not enough when human life is at stake.

Scotland must learn from what has happened elsewhere before crossing a line that cannot easily be undone.

The more we KNOW, the more we say NO.

Write to your MSPs by visiting:
👉 https://carenotkilling.scot/

Be sure to carefully read the wording of the email to make sure you are happy for it to be sent to your MSPs. Click the button on the website and enter your postcode when prompted.