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On Tuesday, more than 40 people from the Chichester area – both Catholics and interested visitors – gathered at St Richard’s Church, Chichester, to hear Dr Dominic Whitehouse, Palliative Medicine Consultant at St Wilfrid’s Hospice, near Chichester, and Fr David Murphy of the Parish of Our Lady and the Saints of Sussex, speak on the subject of Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is due to be introduced to Parliament by MP Kim Leadbeater, seeking to legalise Assisted Suicide. An edited transcript of their presentations can be found at the end of this article.

Dr Whitehouse, who has worked within the NHS, in the military, the Sierra Leone Ebola outbreak and now in hospice care, spoke passionately about his work and the difference it can make to the lives and death of his patients. He told the audience:

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“I am desperate to protect my patients and my colleagues and the institution of the hospice from the potential serious damage that could be done by this Bill.”

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Dr Whitehouse took the audience through many aspects of the issues. He outlined the principles of palliative care, and how it aims for and achieves good lives and good deaths for patients. He made the point that only 6% of deaths currently happen in hospices, which receive only about 30% of their funding from the government, and around 100,000 people a year who might benefit from palliative care do not receive it – which in itself increases calls for Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia.

Dr Whitehouse examined the reasons people campaign for Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia, and the reasons patients actually ask for it, which is usually not because of uncontrolled pain in that moment, but due to a fear of future loss of control or dignity; fear of pain; depression (which also impairs patients’ ability to make decisions). Most worryingly, Dr Whitehouse reported that in Oregon “nearly half of the people report feeling that they're a burden to their loved ones, and that's their reason for asking for Assisted Dying, and 8% also cite financial concerns as their main reason.”

Dr Whitehouse left the audience with some quotes:

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“You don’t have to kill the patient to kill the pain.”

– Quoted by many palliative care specialists

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“How people die remains in the memory of those who live on.”

- Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the hospice movement.

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Fr David Murphy then spoke, on his own experience of working in hospices and hospitals, with the seriously ill and dying, and how lives lived in those situations can still be full of laughter, hope and joy. In the medicals environments he had worked in, what was offered was not Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia, but "Assisted Living." He reminded his listeners that opposition to Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia does not come from a lack of compassion or love. As Dr Whitehouse had also pointed out, compassion involves suffering with those who suffer, walking with them like the Good Samaritan, not simply agreeing to end their lives.

Fr David explained why the Catholic Church firmly opposes Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia, viewing them as grave violations of the sanctity of human life and the moral principles that guide human dignity and compassion. Catholic teaching is rooted in both natural law philosophy and theological principles, which emphasize the inherent value of human life, the limits of human autonomy, and the call to accompany the suffering with love and care.

He explored arguments around the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death because each person is created in the image and likeness of God, and explained that although modern arguments in favour of euthanasia often centre on autonomy, Catholic teaching maintains that while autonomy is a valuable aspect of human dignity, it is not absolute. In the Catholic view, human freedom is to be exercised in accordance with moral law and the divine will.

Considering the social implications of legalising euthanasia, Fr David said:

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“The Church […] believes that a ‘culture of death’ is fostered when society normalizes euthanasia, potentially devaluing the lives of the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill. The Church argues that this shifts society’s focus from caring for the vulnerable to viewing them as burdens, which undermines the respect for life and the commitment to protect it.

“In summary, the Catholic Church’s teaching on euthanasia is rooted in the belief that all human life is sacred and that suffering, though painful, can have profound meaning. The Church urges compassion, care, and respect for those who suffer, without taking life. By embracing palliative care and supporting the dignity of each person, the Church offers a path that upholds human dignity and the sanctity of life, affirming that life’s value does not diminish even in the face of suffering. Through this teaching, the Church calls for a ‘culture of life’ that values every person and respects life’s natural course.”

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Click the button below for an edited transcript of the talk.

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Catholics are urged to act now to prevent Assisted Suicide becoming legal in England and Wales. To find out more about the Bill - including how to contact your MP - click here and visit the CBCEW website.