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.
Pope Leo, speaking in Lourdes shortly after France legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia, stated that causing death under the guise of false compassion must be rejected. He emphasized that it is impossible to regard causing death as something normal and that what is legal is not necessarily right.
Pope Leo XIV stated during his visit to France that assisted dying is not 'normal' and emphasized that causing death should not be regarded as acceptable, even under the guise of compassion. He made these remarks in response to France's recent legislation legalizing assisted dying for certain patients, highlighting that what is legal is not necessarily moral.
Pope Leo XIV spoke at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on September 27, 2026, condemning assisted suicide and abortion of the disabled, emphasizing the sanctity of life and rejecting 'false compassion' that justifies causing death. During his visit, he encouraged the sick and disabled pilgrims, affirming their dignity and irreplaceable role in the Church, while also addressing the healthcare community to care for suffering persons rather than eliminate them.
Pope Leo XIV preached to the infirmed, disabled, and their caregivers at Lourdes, emphasizing that no human law should undermine their dignity. He issued a stark rejection of France's assisted dying law during this address at the Catholic shrine.
Pope Leo XIV visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France on September 26, 2026, where he knelt in the Grotto of Apparitions. During meetings with French bishops and ministry workers, he spoke against France's legalization of medically-assisted dying and abortion laws.
Pope Leo XIV condemned euthanasia and assisted suicide as neither compassionate nor moral during a meeting with about 5,000 sick people and caregivers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, emphasizing the inalienable dignity of the human person and rejecting death under false compassion. He praised healthcare workers for their vocation to care for the suffering, called for palliative care structures, and encouraged the French bishops to continue opposing euthanasia following France's recent legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Pope Leo XIV condemned the legalization of medically assisted death as immoral 'false compassion' during his visit to Lourdes, France, emphasizing the inherent dignity of human life and rejecting euthanasia and assisted dying in line with Catholic teaching. He also addressed the ongoing clergy sexual abuse crisis in the French church, meeting with survivors and praising the bishops' response while acknowledging the impact of the scandal on priestly vocations.
Allison Ducluzeau, diagnosed with stage 4 peritoneal carcinomatosis in British Columbia, was denied surgery and instead referred to assisted dying by Canadian oncologists, but she sought treatment in the United States and became cancer-free. The article warns that socialized medicine, exemplified by Canada's healthcare system and policies like the Most Favored Nations drug pricing model, risks importing drug rationing and assisted suicide practices to the U.S., where assisted suicide is already legal in 13 states and increasing.
Pope Leo XIV visited Lourdes, France, where he spoke against euthanasia and medically assisted dying during a Mass attended by about 150,000 people, emphasizing respect for life from conception until natural death. Lourdes, known for miraculous cures and as a healing place for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, has recently covered mosaics by Rev.
Alicia Duncan and her sister Christie fought to stop their mother Donna's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) procedure in Canada after she was approved despite showing signs of psychiatric distress and a recent suicide attempt. Despite securing a court injunction and psychiatric assessment, Donna was euthanized just hours after being discharged from involuntary psychiatric detention, highlighting failures in the safeguards and oversight of the MAiD process, especially concerning mental illness eligibility.
Pope Leo XIV delivered a speech at the Elysée Palace in France, warning President Emmanuel Macron and French parliament to uphold the sanctity of life by denouncing surrogacy and assisted suicide. He emphasized that mutual respect and protection of every human life is a duty incumbent upon all, following a private meeting with Macron and in the presence of politicians, diplomats, civil authorities, and firemen who responded to the 2019 Notre-Dame fire.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris on September 25, 2026, and urged French leaders at the Élysée Palace to protect every human life, condemning assisted dying, abortion, and surrogacy while emphasizing the importance of welcoming life unconditionally and supporting the vulnerable. During his four-day apostolic journey to France, the pope also highlighted the Catholic Church's historical role in caring for the poor and underprivileged, and planned visits including a Mass in Paris, a prayer vigil at Stade de France, and a trip to the Marian shrine of Lourdes.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris on September 25, 2026, and urged French leaders at the Élysée Palace to protect every human life, condemning assisted dying, abortion, and surrogacy while emphasizing the importance of welcoming life unconditionally and supporting the vulnerable. During his four-day apostolic journey, the pope also highlighted France's deep Christian roots, addressed secularization challenges, and planned visits including a Mass with nearly 600,000 attendees and a prayer vigil for young people at Stade de France.
An 83-year-old woman named Brigitte Stegemann reportedly received medical assistance in dying (MAID) against her will at a care home in Cannifton, Ontario, despite her expressed wishes and a failed cognitive evaluation. Her family alleges procedural failures and is appealing to authorities to investigate the case, highlighting concerns about the adequacy of Canada's euthanasia safeguards as eligibility for MAID has expanded since 2016.
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.
In 2025, assisted suicides accounted for over 13% of deaths in Lanaudière, Quebec, and nearly 8% across the entire province, with British Columbia reporting over 7% of deaths by medical assistance in dying (MAID). Since MAID's enactment in 2016, approximately 76,475 Canadians have died by assisted suicide, with concerns raised about the normalization of assisted dying and cases where patients may not have been fully capable of consenting.
Canada's medical assistance in dying (MAID) program is the fastest-growing cause of death in the country, accounting for 5% of all deaths and surpassing the number of gun homicides in the United States in 2024. The program extends beyond terminal illnesses to include people with mental illnesses, chronic disabilities, and social isolation, with reports of doctors encouraging patients to choose MAID even when other healthcare options exist.
Liberal MP Kevin Lamouroux opposed Bill C-218, which seeks to ban euthanasia for mental illness, stating that preventing mentally ill persons from accessing medical assistance in dying is not the right approach. The bill, introduced by Conservative MP Tamara Jansen, aims to amend the Criminal Code to restrict euthanasia for mental illness, but faces opposition from the governing Liberal Party and is scheduled for a second reading in early October 2026.
Donna Duncan was euthanized in Canada under the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program despite not being terminally ill, with her daughters stating she was suffering from a serious mental health crisis triggered by a car accident and worsened by COVID-19 isolation. Her daughters reported that she was given only 48 hours' notice before euthanasia, and after a psychiatric assessment diagnosed her with a psychosomatic disorder, she died by lethal injection shortly after being discharged from a psychiatric ward without their knowledge.
Donna Duncan died by euthanasia in Canada after being deemed eligible under the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program, despite her daughters stating she was not terminally ill but suffering from a serious mental health crisis triggered by a traffic collision and worsened by COVID-19 isolation. Her daughters reported that Donna was diagnosed with a psychosomatic disorder, had attempted suicide shortly before her death, and was discharged from psychiatric care without their knowledge just two days before she was euthanized by lethal injection.
Canadian Members of Parliament are debating the expansion of the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) service to include the mentally ill, with Bill C-218 proposed to prevent this expansion and protect the mentally ill from euthanasia. The article draws a historical parallel between Canada's MAiD program and Nazi Germany's Aktion T4 euthanasia program, highlighting concerns about consent and the ethical implications of euthanizing mentally ill individuals.
In 2024, Canada recorded 16,499 deaths through Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), which is 1,135 more than the 15,364 firearm homicides recorded in the United States that year despite the US having a population more than eight times larger. Since legalizing MAiD in 2016, with expanded eligibility in 2021, the number of assisted deaths in Canada has approximately tripled from 5,461 in 2019 to 16,499 in 2024, accounting for 5.1 percent of all deaths in Canada that year.
Tamara Jansen delivered a speech in parliament on September 23, 2026, supporting Bill C-218, which aims to prevent Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) from being granted solely based on mental illness. She referenced the case of Kiano Vafaeian, a 26-year-old who sought MAiD in Ontario at age 23 after struggling with Type 1 diabetes, mental health issues following a car accident, and vision loss, with his mother Margaret opposing his decision.
Dr. Joel Zivot testified before the Canadian Senate that lethal injection used in assisted suicide can cause pulmonary edema, a condition where fluid fills the lungs, leading to sensations similar to suffocation or drowning, and that paralytic drugs can mask visible signs of distress.
Brigitte Stegemann was euthanized under Canada's assisted dying system despite explicitly stating she did not want MAiD and being deemed competent by Dr. Kate Koester despite failing competency questions and having severe hearing impairment.
A federal appeals court panel heard an appeal from Sean Curran, a quadriplegic, and disability rights groups challenging Delaware's End of Life Options Act, arguing it discriminates against disabled people by requiring doctors to inform patients about assisted suicide as part of standard care. Delaware officials argued Curran lacks standing and that the law does not legalize assisted suicide but merely offers it as a voluntary option, while the court panel did not indicate when or how it would rule.
Brigitte Stegemann, an 83-year-old Canadian grandmother, died by assisted suicide despite not giving final verbal consent, according to her family who allege the procedure was botched and conducted without proper consent protocols. Her family is now demanding documents and has filed complaints and a police report to investigate the legality and circumstances surrounding her euthanasia under Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program.
Brigitte Stegemann was declared competent despite not answering the competency questions during an assessment related to euthanasia. The Daily Mail published an article about an 83-year-old Christian grandmother who was euthanized against her will under Canada's assisted dying system, and the story has been confirmed as true despite some online doubts.
The UK House of Commons recently defeated a physician-assisted suicide bill after a four-hour debate, with lawmakers urged to vote their conscience due to concerns about vulnerable populations such as poorer communities and those with disabilities. The bill would have allowed adults with less than six months to live in England and Wales to apply for assisted suicide, requiring approval from two doctors and an expert panel, but similar legislation has been repeatedly stopped by the House of Lords over the past two years.
