Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn is urging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to veto a bill that would legalize assisted suicide in the state and thereby remain consistent with efforts of the suicide prevention program she has invested millions of dollars in.
“That groundbreaking program has worked to provide the right training and crisis intervention measures to prevent suicides, offering hope to those who are most in need,” Bishop Brennan said in a Sept. 27 video message posted on X.
Bishop Brennan said the bill both contradicts Hochul’s life-saving efforts and “targets high-risk populations.”
“How can we justify preventing suicide while helping others to die?” he asked.
Turning to the faithful who are watching, Bishop Brennan urged them to contact Hochul “and to ask her to stay consistent on this issue.”
He directed the faithful to send a pre-written email to Hochul through the New York State Catholic Conference Action Center.
The New York Senate passed the bill in a 35-27 vote in June, sending it to Hochul for signing. She has not yet signed it and advocates continue to urge her to instead veto it. The bill does not require a mental health evaluation or a waiting period, according to the NY Catholic Conference’s website. The conference emphasized that lives are at stake, adding that the only hope now of it not going into law is Hochul’s veto.
In the X post, Bishop Brennan stated in the caption: “Governor Hochul, we know difficult decisions weigh heavily on leaders and you carefully consider the impact of every decision on New Yorkers. As you review the assisted suicide legislation, we respectfully urge you to veto it. Assisted suicide targets the poor, the vulnerable, and especially individuals suffering with mental illness.”
“There are better ways to support those facing end-of-life challenges, through improved palliative care, pain management, and compassionate support systems,” he concluded.
>> New York pro-life leaders call Gov. Hochul to veto assisted suicide bill: ‘Protect human life’ <<
This is not the first time Bishop Brennan has denounced the bill and urged Hochul to veto it. In June, he told the Tablet that “We turn to the governor urging her to act boldly, consistent with her efforts to combat the suicide crisis in our state, and veto this bill.”
Other Catholic leaders in New York have also spoken out with messages similar to Bishop Brennan’s. Dennis Poust, executive director of the NY State Catholic Conference, also commented to The Tablet at the time that “Hochul has acted boldly to address the suicide crisis in our state and has made access to mental health care a hallmark of her tenure as governor, with historic investments the last two years. This bill undermines those priorities.”
In a May op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, also decried the bill’s direct contradiction to the state’s state suicide prevention efforts. He said that he prays Hochul will “step up to protect precious human life” and veto it.
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