Assisted Suicide

Catholic bishops and religious sisters in New York and Illinois have filed lawsuits against their states' assisted suicide laws, winning temporary court rulings that prevent enforcement of these laws against them while litigation continues. These lawsuits argue that the laws compel Catholic healthcare providers to violate their conscience by participating in or promoting assisted suicide, which the Church opposes as contrary to its mission and moral teachings.

A federal court order currently protects several Illinois physicians and religious health care organizations from the state's assisted suicide law, which took effect on September 12 and includes mandates such as requiring doctors to inform patients about assisted suicide and refer them to providers if they refuse to participate. The Thomas More Society has filed an amended complaint to extend these protections to additional religious health care associations and professionals who object to the law on conscience grounds, highlighting concerns about the law's requirements for falsified death certificates and restrictions on Catholic hospitals disciplining staff who promote assisted suicide.

Illinois' assisted suicide law, known as Deb's Law, took effect on September 12, 2026, allowing hospitals and doctors to decide whether to participate, but several hospitals including Blessing Health System, Quincy Medical Group, and Jacksonville Memorial Health have opted out of participating in medical aid in dying. The Little Sisters of the Poor, along with Cardinal Blase Cupich and other religious groups, have sued the state to block enforcement of the law against them, resulting in a temporary injunction protecting these groups from being forced to participate in assisted suicide.

The End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act took effect in Illinois on September 12, allowing terminally ill patients to request prescription drugs to hasten death under specific conditions, prompting educational efforts by Catholic and pro-life groups to explain Church teachings and the law's implications. Jozef Zalot, a bioethicist with the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, are among those leading workshops and discussions to help clergy, laity, and families understand and respond to the new law while emphasizing compassionate accompaniment of the suffering.

Four Muslim physicians sued Illinois officials, claiming the state's new assisted-suicide law, known as the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act or Deb’s Law, violates their religious beliefs by requiring them to provide information about medical aid in dying and facilitate access to the drugs in some cases. The physicians argue that complying with these requirements conflicts with their Muslim faith's belief that human life is sacred, and they are seeking a court order to block enforcement of the provisions or declare them unconstitutional.

A group of four Muslim doctors in Illinois is suing the state over the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, arguing that the law violates their religious beliefs by requiring them to inform patients about assisted suicide options despite their Islamic faith opposing the practice. The lawsuit claims the law's exemptions for doctors who opt out are among the narrowest in the nation and requests the federal court to strike down the law, while other healthcare professionals of different faiths have also filed lawsuits or expressed concerns about the law's requirements.

Four Muslim doctors in Illinois have filed a lawsuit against the state's End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, which requires them to assist terminally ill patients in obtaining lethal drugs for assisted suicide, conflicting with their religious beliefs. The doctors, represented by Becket, seek a federal court order to block the law and protect their right to refuse participation in assisted suicide without facing fines or penalties.

After Cardinal Blase Cupich, two orders of nuns, and a small-town pharmacist sued the state of Illinois over its new assisted suicide law, a judge granted a temporary reprieve. While the new law took effect in Illinois on September 12, the plaintiffs are not required to comply with it while their case is being resolved. Read More… Reprieve for now: Illinois assisted suicide law

A federal judge barred Illinois state officials from enforcing the state's assisted suicide law against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, a Catholic pharmacist, and groups of Roman Catholic nuns while litigation continues. The plaintiffs argue that the laws violate their religious beliefs, constitutional protections, and other legal provisions, and the court order prevents enforcement of specific provisions requiring healthcare providers to inform patients about assisted suicide and to refer patients to willing providers.

Five national or statewide religious health care associations and two individual plaintiffs have joined a federal lawsuit filed by Thomas More Society challenging Illinois' assisted suicide law just two days before it takes effect. The lawsuit argues that the law violates constitutional rights by forcing healthcare professionals and entities to promote assisted suicide against their conscience and faith, and the plaintiffs seek to extend emergency protections previously granted to original plaintiffs.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing Illinois from enforcing its new euthanasia law on Carmelite nuns and the Little Sisters of the Poor. The legal challenge involves Catholic leaders and healthcare institutions arguing that the law threatens their religious identity by requiring participation in assisted suicide and restricting speech about it.

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A federal judge on September 11 issued a temporary restraining order blocking Illinois from enforcing its physician-assisted suicide law against Catholic entities that challenged it in court, including Cardinal Blase Cupich, two orders of Catholic women religious, and an Illinois pharmacist. The Catholic entities argued the law, effective September 12, would compel them to facilitate assisted suicide in violation of their faith, and the judge's order protects their religious freedom by preventing enforcement of provisions requiring healthcare providers to participate in or inform patients about assisted suicide.

A federal judge on September 11 issued a temporary restraining order blocking Illinois from enforcing its physician-assisted suicide law against Catholic entities, including Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, two orders of Catholic women religious, and an Illinois pharmacist, who argued the law would force them to facilitate assisted suicides in violation of their faith.

Thomas More Society announces additional organizational and individual plaintiffs in its challenge to Illinois’s assisted-suicide law. The release seeks expanded protection for healthcare professionals who object to informing, referring, or participating on religious and conscience grounds.

A federal judge denied a request from disability rights advocates to block the Illinois assisted suicide law from going into effect on September 12, 2026, rejecting arguments that the law violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and other protections. The judge noted that one plaintiff, a quadriplegic woman, did not demonstrate harm under the law and questioned the standing of the plaintiffs, while giving them 30 days to appeal the decision.

Disability rights organizations petitioned a federal judge to block the Illinois assisted suicide law scheduled to take effect on September 12, 2026, arguing it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and discriminates against disabled people due to potential physician bias and coercion. Additionally, Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich and two orders of Catholic nuns filed a lawsuit claiming the law infringes on constitutional protections for free speech and religious freedom, while a judge is expected to decide on the law's legality before its implementation date.

THE DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The Catholic Church in Illinois is challenging the Democrat-led state’s recently passed assisted suicide law in court. Chicago’s archbishop, Cardinal Blase Cupich, joined two orders of Catholic nuns and an Illinois pharmacist in a lawsuit filed Thursday in an effort to block the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act (EOLOA), the Becket...

A sign is seen St. Mary’s Home for the Little Sisters of the Poor in Chicago Aug. 19, 2026. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Chicago Province of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and an Illinois pharmacist sued Illinois Sept. 3 over the state’s physician-assisted suicide law, which permits physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. " data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/www.americamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/20260903T1500-CUPICH-NUNS-ILLINOIS-ASSISTED-SUICIDE-LAWSUIT-1825672-scaled.jpg?fit=780%2C521&ssl=1" /> I

"The Gospel calls us to uphold the inviolable dignity and worth of the human person, from life's first moment to its natural end." The post Cardinal Cupich, sisters sue Illinois over assisted suicide law first appeared on Angelus News .

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, two orders of Catholic nuns, and an Illinois pharmacist sued Illinois Sept. 3 over the state's physician-assisted suicide law, which permits physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. The post Cardinal Cupich, women religious, Catholic pharmacist sue Illinois over assisted suicide law first appeared on OSV News .

The judge's order is in place pending the result of two cases under appeal in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, NIFLA v. Treto and Schroeder v. Treto. The post Judge temporarily blocks Illinois assisted suicide law; plaintiffs feel ‘relief, gratitude for now’ first appeared on OSV News .

The state agreed to a federal court order amid a suit brought by the Diocese of Springfield and Bishop Thomas Paprocki. The post Court blocks Illinois assisted suicide mandate for religious objectors – for now first appeared on Angelus News .

Alex Schadenberg Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Disability leaders opposing assisted suicide On December 12, 2025 w e reported that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed assisted suicide bill SB 9 into law. The Illinois assisted suicide law is scheduled to go into effect on September 12, 2026. On August 13, 2026 we reported that a group of Illinois physicians, a Catholic bishop and a faith-based nursing home filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block Illinois’ assisted suicide law before it goes into effect. On August 24, 2026 Molly Sweeney reported for WCIA news that Illinoi