Catholic Care Homes Challenge French Assisted Dying Bill

The religious congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor has warned that it could close some of its nursing homes in France if new assisted dying legislation forces the facilities to permit euthanasia. The warning was reported by the Catholic news website InfoVaticana.

The congregation's warning came after the French National Assembly rejected an institutional conscience clause that would have allowed religious and other institutions to refuse to provide or facilitate assisted dying. While the bill includes an individual conscience clause for healthcare professionals, it does not extend the same protection to institutions.

The Little Sisters of the Poor operate around 30 nursing homes in France, caring for about 2,500 elderly people. The congregation argues that permitting euthanasia would be incompatible with its mission of accompanying people until their natural death.

The sisters are considering legal action to defend freedom of conscience and have not ruled out closing some of their facilities.

(mja)