New York Vs. My Diocese

As was recently reported by EWTN, Bishop Barres of the diocese of Rockville Centre has filed a lawsuit against the New York attorney general and commissioner of health over a recently passed physician assisted suicide law. 

The diocese and four communities of religious sisters within it provide care to the elderly and terminally ill and are under threat due to the new law. This story is of particular interest to me because this is my diocese, my local church, the religious community I call home. 

The Diocese of Rockville Centre is a strong diocese. It has its problems like most in the United States with vocations among other things. However, we have a strong bishop and solid priests as his advisors and throughout the diocese. The seminarians I know are young men eager to serve Christ. The recently ordained priests are well formed and love the liturgy. We have a strong and growing young adult community. 

Bishop Barres is a good shepherd and does everything he can to be close to his flock. This battle was inevitable but we have been graced to have been given a bishop who feels so strongly about this particular issue. His excellency has preached often and written strongly on building up a culture of life and fighting against the culture of death. 

Our diocese ranks in the top 10 largest in the US and so the battle happening here could be a sign of things to come elsewhere across the country in large and small Catholic communities. 

The law contains virtually no recourse for religious communities. The opt out option in the law still requires religious institutions to inform terminally ill patients about physician assisted suicide options and providers. This lack of exemption has left the diocese with no recourse other than legal action. 

The lawsuit argues that this law violates the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech rights enumerated in the first amendment. The Catholic faith recognizes the beauty of each individual life from conception to the point of natural death. We believe in neither unnaturally lengthening a life nor in bringing it to an end before the time God decides. 

Each life is a unique expression of humanity, a person whom God planned to be a part of the story from before all creation. Whether disabled, mentally or physically ill each person is made in the image and likeness of God. While lawmakers may not understand the pandora’s box that is physician assisted suicide, the Church does. This is an attack on human dignity and we here in the diocese of Rockville Centre will stand with our bishop as one flock against the state.