Bishops’ Statements on Current Issues
Illinois’ six diocesan bishops occasionally make statements on current issues important to the Church, either as a group or as individuals. When the statement is issued as a group, it reflects the view of the Church statewide. Individual bishops may choose to make a statement on issues of specific interest to their dioceses.
CCI Statement on Passage of Assisted Suicide – SB 1950
Statement on Passage Assisted Suicide: SB 1950
October 31, 2025
With the passage of legislation to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois, the Illinois General Assembly has put our state on a slippery path that jeopardizes the well-being of the poor and marginalized, especially those in the disability community and have foreseeable tragic consequences. With all the assaults on human dignity and the growing number of vulnerable people we see every day, sadly the leaders and members of the General Assembly who voted for this offer us suicide as its response.
The bill now goes to the Governor, and we ask him not only to veto this bill in totality, but also to address humanely the reasons why some view assisted suicide as their only option and to heed the impact of similar legislation on other states and nations.
Many lawmakers chose to ignore the real advances in palliative medical care as an alternative to assisted suicide. Rather than signing this bill, we ask the Governor to expand and improve on palliative care programs that offer expert assessment and management of pain and other symptoms. These programs support caregivers and help ensure patient care is coordinated with other services. And they represent a compassionate and morally acceptable alternative to assisted suicide.
Today, we face real and immediate threats to human life and dignity, many from the very institutions created to protect them. The government shut down, a growing number of private and government sector layoffs, the terrorizing and deportation of our neighbors, and the loss of food and medical assistance for the poor and vulnerable are immediate problems that need attention, not enacting assisted suicide.
Let us also consider the impact on impressionable young people of legalizing suicide in any form. According to a 2022 United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for U.S. teens and young adults 10-34. It is the second-leading cause of death for those 10-14. And, according to the National Institutes of Health, suicide contagion is a real risk to these young people after exposure to suicide. Add to that the ready availability of firearms in the U.S. and this is a tragedy we do not need to compound.
It defies common sense for our state to enact a 9-8-8 suicide hotline, increase funding for suicide prevention programs and then pass a law that, based on the experience of other jurisdictions, results in more suicide.
Join us as we continue to pray for all those who are sick and at the end of life, their caregivers and for all who feel life is no long worth living and need our support.
For media inquiries please email gilligan@ilcatholic.org.
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A pdf version of this statement can be found HERE.
Illinois Bishops Provide Comments to COGFA on Proposed Prison Closures
In comments from the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI), the Catholic bishops of Illinois reminded lawmakers who are part of the decision on proposed changes to Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet and Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln to ensure correctional facilities respect the inherent human dignity of all those incarcerated.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) and the legislative members of COGFA will soon be making recommendations to the Governor.
While CCI does not have a position on whether to close and reconstruct either facility, the bishops urged that there be consistent access for ministry and adequate space for programming and reentry services. If relocation is decided, the state must consider challenges families may have in continuing to visit their family members. “We must provide vital opportunities to heal from trauma, engage in meaningful personal development, and gain new skills.”
The full letter to COGFA can be found HERE.
Statement on Parents Matter Coalition
The Bishops of Illinois share the following statement on the Parents Matter Coalition. A PDF copy of the statement can also be found HERE.
Statement on Parents Matter Coalition
January 29, 2024
The family is the central, basic cell of society and our government should be supporting families and assisting parents in the care of their children, not undermining them. “Following the principle of subsidiarity, larger communities should take care not to usurp the family’s prerogatives or interfere in its life.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 2209
Around Illinois, a growing number of parents are increasingly concerned about their parental rights being stripped away by governmental overreach. In an effort to raise awareness, the Parents Matter Coalition was recently formed and is currently collecting signatures on petitions for an advisory question to affirm parental rights, particularly with regards to the medical care of their children. If the required number of signatures are collected, the non-binding advisory question has an opportunity to be placed on the November 2024 election ballot.
The Bishops of Illinois support the goals of this initiative, but we ask our parishes to respect the Church as the center of worship and not become a means of petition-gathering. The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) is the public policy voice of the Illinois bishops and lay Catholics. It interacts with the state legislature, the governor’s office and all elements of state government to promote and defend the interests of the Church. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for our Illinois Catholic Advocacy Network (I-CAN) to stay informed on issues affecting the Church and make their views known to government officials. Go to https://www.ilcatholic.org/take-action/join-i-can/.
More information on this initiative can be found at parentsmattercoalition.org.