New York Archbishop Joins Nuns' Lawsuit Over Assisted Suicide Law
Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York joined a federal lawsuit against New York's medical aid in dying law this fall, adding his voice to a suit already brought by several orders of Catholic sisters, Rockville Centre Bishop John Barres, and the Catholic healthcare ministry ArchCare. The plaintiffs argue the law, which took effect this year, would force them to counsel patients about assisted suicide, help determine their eligibility for lethal drugs, or refer them to willing providers, all in violation of their beliefs about the sanctity of life.
A federal judge issued a consent order in July barring the state from requiring the sisters to take part in the assisted suicide process while the case continues, a measure Becket, which represents the plaintiffs, says protects Catholic healthcare ministries from fines and criminal penalties in the meantime. New York is among thirteen states and the District of Columbia that have legalized physician assisted suicide. The broader lawsuit remains active, and no trial date has been set.
