A Duty to Care or a Duty to Kill?”: Cardinal Nichols Urges Action Against Legalization of Assisted Dying

In a bold and rare political intervention, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has called on the faithful to resist the legalisation of assisted dying. His appeal comes ahead of a parliamentary vote on a private member’s bill that seeks to permit assisted suicide for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live. The Cardinal has urged worshippers to write to their Members of Parliament (MPs), engage in meaningful discussion, and most importantly, pray fervently against what he describes as a law that could undermine the sanctity of life.

In a striking pastoral letter, Nichols delivered a stark warning, cautioning that the proposed legislation risks shifting the medical profession’s core purpose from a “duty to care to a duty to kill.” He fears that such a shift could distort the relationship between patients and healthcare providers, with potentially disastrous consequences for society’s most vulnerable. “The right to die,” Nichols argues, “can become a duty to die,” particularly for those who are disabled, elderly, or terminally ill.

The Cardinal’s intervention is especially notable as he typically refrains from urging political action of this magnitude. In recent years, Nichols has spoken out on various societal and governmental issues, such as his staunch opposition to the government’s Rwanda deportation plan in 2022. However, this latest appeal is his first call for the faithful to lobby their MPs since 2012, when he campaigned against same-sex marriage legislation.

Nichols’ letter comes amid growing debate over assisted dying in the UK, with religious leaders divided on the issue. Some support the proposed change, arguing it offers compassionate choices to the terminally ill, while others, like Nichols, warn of a “slippery slope.” He insists that the law could pressure the vulnerable into ending their lives prematurely, especially in a world that often overlooks the disabled and those with serious illnesses.

With the vote set for 29 November, Nichols is rallying his congregation and the wider public to take a stand. “We must not belittle humanity by forgetting God,” he writes, underscoring his belief that life’s intrinsic value cannot be compromised by legislation, no matter the safeguards proposed.

As the debate intensifies, the outcome of the vote remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Cardinal Nichols has placed a moral and spiritual stake in the ground, calling for a response that blends prayer, political action, and a renewed respect for life. Whether his call will sway MPs and shape public opinion in the coming weeks is yet to be seen, but his words have undoubtedly added a powerful voice to the chorus of those opposed to assisted dying.