“The first and most fundamental of all human rights is the right to life, and when this right is denied all other rights are threatened … A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn and the dying.”

As the Church, we recognize that suicide is a tragedy that ends one life and devastates the loved ones left behind. Those who promote physician-assisted suicide try to draw a distinction between those with a mental illness who want to end their lives and those with a terminal illness who express the same wish. This is a dangerously false distinction with far-reaching consequences.​

Assisted suicide abandons vulnerable individuals at the moment when they are most in need of our love, care, and support. Even among terminally ill patients, a request to die is nearly always a cry for help, indicating that some aspect of their condition has not been adequately attended to. Those requesting to end their lives typically do not want to die; they want to escape what they perceive to be an intolerable situation, and they tragically believe that suicide is their only way out. The patient requesting assisted suicide is often asking, "Does anyone want me to be alive, or care enough to talk me out of this request and support me through this difficult time?"​

Society’s acceptance of assisted suicide sends the false message that under especially difficult circumstances some lives are not worth living. Every suicide is tragic, no matter the circumstances. Nothing diminishes the sanctity of a person's life, or the obligation to protect and care for it. We don't discourage suicide in our society by assisting suicide. We are called to affirm the dignity of human life in all stages and circumstances. Those who are suffering need to be assured of the goodness and value of their lives and provided with authentic care and support.

You can read the entire article at https://www.usccb.org/every-suicide-tragic