A Catholic priest in the United Kingdom (UK) announced he will deny the Eucharist to a Catholic member of parliament (MP) following his decision to vote in favor of legalized assisted suicide.
Key Takeaways:
- Father Ian Vane warned MP Chris Coghlan that he would not be able to receive the Eucharist if he voted in favor of the UK’s assisted suicide bill.
- Coghlan voted for it anyway, and Vane responded by reiterating that Coghlan cannot receive communion.
- Afterward, Coghlan complained and said his religious beliefs would not inform how he votes.
The Details:
Father Ian Vane, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, warned Catholic MP Chris Coghlan that voting in favor of assisted suicide would make him “an obstinate public sinner” and complicit in a “murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.”
In an email to Coghlan, Fr. Vane further explained that the vote would mark “a clear contravention of the Church’s teaching, which would leave me in the position of not being able to give you holy communion, as to do so would cause scandal in the Church.”
After Coghlan did vote in favor of legalizing assisted suicide, the priest allegedly announced to the parish during Mass, at which Coghlan was not present, that he would not give Coghlan the Eucharist out of concern for his soul. Receiving the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin is considered sacrilegious, and is itself considered a mortal sin.
Coghlan, a liberal, called the priest’s decision “outrageous,” and he complained to Richard Moth, the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.
In an article for PoliticsHome, Coghlan wrote that that Fr. Vane’s email made “a clear threat to me before the vote” and that “the priest’s actions — intentionally or otherwise — were an attempt to coerce a Member of Parliament in their voting intention.”
Coghlan said he voted in favor of assisted suicide in accordance with his conscience. On X, he said, “My private religion will continue to have zero direct relevance to my work as an MP representing all my constituents without fear or favour.”
The post went viral, with many commenters writing in support of the priest. One said, “Your priest loves you.” Others called for Coghlan to repent.
Why it Matters:
Legalized assisted suicide discriminates against the chronically and terminally ill and those living with disabilities. While most assisted suicide laws are initially put in place with ‘safeguards,’ those safeguards are eventually eroded over time, allowing assisted suicide for non-terminal health conditions and even individuals under age 18.
Canada, an example of the slippery slope in real time, is now considering allowing assisted suicide solely for mental health conditions.
In addition, legalizing assisted suicide puts pressure on individuals to choose assisted death when they may not want to, out of fear of being a burden on their families. Insurance companies and government-run health care have also begun pressuring people into assisted suicide by denying treatment and offering to cover assisted death instead.
The Bottom Line:
The Catholic Church has stood firmly against assisted suicide and euthanasia, and been clear that supporting laws in favor of death goes against Catholic teaching — and puts souls at risk of perishing.
