Several Catholic nuns and faith-based healthcare providers have filed a lawsuit against New York, asserting that the state's recently enacted "Medical Aid in Dying Act" compels them to violate their deeply held religious beliefs. The plaintiffs contend the law forces them to participate in practices they consider morally objectionable, specifically physician-assisted suicide.
The lawsuit, brought forth in federal court by over a dozen Catholic plaintiffs including the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne and the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, argues that the law mandates religious healthcare providers to counsel terminally ill patients about physician-assisted suicide, facilitate referrals to participating providers, and in some instances, accommodate assisted suicide within their facilities.
Plaintiffs maintain these requirements infringe upon their First Amendment rights, federal healthcare protections, and established Catholic doctrine regarding the sanctity of human life. The lawsuit states that New York has presented the sisters with a "stark choice: either abandon their religious beliefs regarding the sanctity of life or face significant fines and penalties."
New York's "Medical Aid in Dying Act," signed into law in February, permits individuals aged 18 and older diagnosed with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live to request and self-administer life-ending medication if experiencing severe suffering. Proponents of the law note it is modeled after Oregon's long-standing assisted dying legislation.
According to the legal complaint, the law could require religious organizations to provide information about assisted suicide to patients, allow staff to discuss the practice with terminally ill patients, and assist patients in meeting the qualifications for life-ending medication. Furthermore, the plaintiffs argue the law would compel referrals to willing providers and prohibit organizations from taking disciplinary action against employees who offer such counseling or assistance, even if it conflicts with the institutions' religious tenets.
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate Rosary Hill Home, have a history of providing free end-of-life care to approximately 45,000 low-income cancer patients in New York, irrespective of their faith or background. Mother Marie Edward, O.P., Superior General of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, stated that their mission for over 125 years has been to "offer comfort, prayer, and loving medical care to those in their final days—not death."
Mother Mary Rose Heery, O. Carm., prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, emphasized their commitment to bringing "Christ’s unbounded love to elderly New Yorkers of every background and walk of life" and ensuring "no resident ever has to die alone." She added that the new law "strikes at the heart of that vocation."
Mark Rienzi, president of Becket, which is representing several of the plaintiffs, asserted that "New York is forcing sick and dying people to consider suicide at their lowest moment, regardless of whether they ask for it or not." He further stated, "Worse, it’s conscripting the nuns who care for them into its suicide cult on pain of crushing fines and professional ruin." Rienzi expressed confidence that federal courts would halt the law's enforcement.
Martin Nussbaum, general counsel for Catholic Benefits Association, which is supporting the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne in a separate lawsuit concerning a bill of rights for long-term care facility residents, indicated his organization fully supports the Becket lawsuit seeking a religious exemption from New York's assisted suicide law. Nussbaum stated that the State of New York is "trampling on the religious liberty and speech rights of Catholic nuns providing selfless service to men and women on their final journey."