'Right to die will give way to duty to die': Vatican denounces assisted dying as 'false and misguided mercy' days before legislation is discussed in House of Lords
- Bill to allow doctors to end lives of terminally ill due to be discussed
- Those with less than six months to live could get lethal dose of medication
- Vatican today renews opposition to such a move and voices fears for elderly
- A spokesman said it would lead to 'the strong deciding the fate of the weak'
- Issue has also divided the Church of England, whose leaders have disagreed
The Vatican has renewed its opposition to assisted dying as parliament considers giving the terminally ill a right to end their lives.
On Friday, former Labour Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer's Bill on the issue will come before the House of Lords for a second reading.
The Bill proposes allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to terminally ill patients judged to have less than six months to live.
Despite acknowledging the motives behind the idea were 'on the surface, compassionate', senior Catholics today warned against the move.
Pope Francis has said ill health is not a reason to 'eliminate a person' and his views were reiterated today
Vatican spokesman Father Thomas Rosica (left) made the latest comments before a Bill by former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer (right) is due to go before the House of Lords
Deputy Vatican spokesman Father Thomas Rosica said in a statement: 'The terrible truth is that it is the strong who decide the fate of the weak; human beings therefore become instruments in the hands of other human beings.'
He warned that legalising assisted dying would put pressure on those who are no longer economically productive and said exaggerated consumerism had 'infiltrated' society.
He added: 'Ageing populations, especially in the west, and resulting smaller workforces are now creating a market push towards euthanasia.'
Quoting Saint John Paul II, he said: 'A right to die will inevitably give way to the duty to die.'
Earlier this year Pope Francis denounced of the 'tyranny' of capitalism, which he said risks creating a 'throwaway culture' where the economically unproductive people like the elderly and disabled are no longer valued.
He said: 'In our society there is a tyrannical dominance of an economic logic that excludes and at times kills, and of which nowadays we find many victims, starting with the elderly'.
'Poor health and disability are never a good reason to exclude or, worse, eliminate a person,' he said.
The Church of England appears divided over the issue, with current Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (left) voicing opposition while former church leader, Lord Carey (right), saying the move is not 'anti-Christian'
The issue has being widely discussed in Britain since former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, wrote that helping someone who is in great pain to die was in keeping with Christian beliefs.
He said it was not anti-Christian to believe terminally ill people should be allowed to die with dignity.
But the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has voiced his opposition to the bill to legalise assisted dying.
Archbishop Welby spoke of his fears that it would leave a 'sword of Damocles' hanging over the elderly, putting them under pressure to end their lives.
WHEELCHAIR-BOUND FORMER OFSTED CHIEF: 'I SUPPORT NEW BILL'
Sir Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools who is now a quadriplegic, has given his backing to Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill.
He believes the proposals are ‘about right’ and in tune with public opinion.
He said the Falconer law would allow doctors who help suffering patients to die to be free from the threat of prosecution or career disaster.
Sir Chris Woodhead supports Lord Falconer's Bill
He said: 'They would have the option and they would know that they were not going to be prosecuted under any circumstance.'
Sir Chris made his reputation challenging the educational establishment over school standards in the 1990s. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2006 and subsequently told he has cancer and other complications.
He told Sky News this week that the decision to end one’s life 'must be a matter for consideration within the family and arguably with close friends as well'.
‘I wouldn't dream of proceeding with the decision to kill myself or to have my death assisted without the acceptance of those who are nearest and dearest to me,’ he said.
He added that the Falconer proposals are 'about right, given the range of public opinion on this issue' and said the alternatives are 'bleak'.
'It would be far better if I could have my death assisted in a peaceful, dignified way so that my suffering wasn't prolonged,' he said.
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