Catholic Bishops Call on MSPs to Reject Assisted Dying Bill after Rejection of Institutional Opt-Out
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March 13, 2026The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is deeply disappointed by the decision of the Scottish Parliament to reject all institutional conscientious objection amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
Every organisation has guiding values that shape its mission and practice and, for many faith‑based organisations, including Catholic hospices and care homes, these values are fundamentally incompatible with the introduction of assisted suicide.
The future of such institutions, which so faithfully and compassionately serve their local communities, some for hundreds of years, is now uncertain if the Bill passes.
The Bishops’ Conference maintains that no organisation should be compelled by the State to participate in the deliberate ending of life when doing so would violate its ethical or religious principles.
The Bishops’ Conference urges MSPs to reject the Bill, ensuring that organisations providing critical care services are not forced to decide between acting contrary to their foundational values or closing.