Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois issued the following statement after the Illinois Senate passed SB 1950, which will legalize physician assisted suicide in Illinois, pending approval from Gov. JB Pritzker:

“It is quite fitting that the forces of the culture of death in the Illinois General Assembly passed physician-assisted suicide on October 31—a day that, culturally, has become synonymous with glorifying death and evil. It’s also ironic that these pro-death legislators did it under the cloud of darkness at 2:54 a.m. Make no mistake: killing oneself is not dying with dignity. Doctors take an oath to do no harm. Now, they can prescribe death. There are documented cases of patients being denied treatment and instead offered life-ending drugs. Individuals could also be coerced into taking the lethal drug. Physician assisted suicide undermines the value of each person, especially the vulnerable, the poor, and those with disabilities. Pray for Gov. Pritzker to reject this legislation. Illinois should be a state that offers compassion, care, and hope—not death—as the answer to human suffering.”