Two recent euthanasia cases, including the killing of a two-year-old in the Netherlands despite medical assessments suggesting alternatives, and the alleged non-consensual euthanasia of Canadian grandmother Brigitte Stegemann, have sparked controversy and criticism. Richard Hanania, a former alt-right member and current euthanasia advocate, openly argues that some lives, particularly those with disabilities, are not worth living and supports euthanasia as a moral imperative, contrasting with other advocates who emphasize choice and autonomy.
Three Catholic bishops and dozens of religious sisters are at the forefront of legal challenges to assisted suicide laws in multiple states. Their coordinated efforts seek to defend the sanctity of life and protect vulnerable patients from legalized euthanasia.
In the year ending June 30, 512 people died under Victoria's voluntary assisted dying (VAD) law, a 31.6% increase from the previous year, with 1,156 applications recorded, nearly 40% more than the prior year. Amendments to the law set to take effect in April 2027 will broaden eligibility and shorten the minimum request period, prompting Catholic leaders to warn that these changes may reduce safeguards for vulnerable patients and urging increased access to palliative care.
Pope Leo visited Lourdes, France, where he condemned abortion and euthanasia, criticizing France's government for legalizing both and emphasizing the inherent dignity of the ill and disabled. He encouraged French bishops to continue opposing assisted suicide and highlighted Lourdes as a place of Christian hope where all lives, regardless of frailty, are fully respected and welcomed.
Euthanasia deaths in Victoria, Australia, have increased by 400% over five years, with 2,188 people ending their lives by assisted suicide or euthanasia since legalization in 2019. Significant expansions to the law are set for 2027, including extending the prognosis limit from six to twelve months and allowing doctors to raise the topic of assisted dying unprompted with patients nearing end of life.
Canadian MP Leslyn Lewis publicly supported Pope Leo XIV's condemnation of euthanasia, emphasizing that every human life has dignity, especially in vulnerable moments, and warning against legalized death as a substitute for compassion. Pope Leo XIV, during his visit to France, stated that human dignity is inalienable and rejected euthanasia as a false form of compassion, highlighting that legality does not equate to morality.
Two recent euthanasia cases, involving a Dutch toddler and an elderly Canadian woman, have raised concerns about the idea that some lives are considered 'defective' and better ended than lived. Richard Hanania, a columnist and euthanasia advocate, openly argues that some lives, particularly those with disabilities, are not worth living and supports euthanasia as a moral progression, contrasting with other advocates who emphasize choice and autonomy.
Cardinal Willem Eijk of the Netherlands condemned the euthanasia of a nearly two-year-old Dutch child with severe disabilities, calling it a fundamental violation of the toddler's dignity. The child, born prematurely with brain damage and cerebral palsy, was euthanized despite not being terminally ill, with some doctors opposing the act but others supporting it, while Cardinal Eijk suggested palliative care as a moral alternative.
Victoria, Australia experienced a 400% increase in euthanasia cases over five years, with 140 cases reported from July 2025 to June 2026 compared to 28 cases in 2020-21, and the law is set to expand in 2027 to include broader eligibility and fewer restrictions. The annual report also noted that deaths by assisted suicide and euthanasia accounted for 1.1% of all deaths in Victoria in 2025-26, and changes to the law will allow doctors to raise the topic unprompted and reduce the prognosis limit from six to twelve months for all conditions.
Cardinal Wim Eijk, chair of the Dutch bishops' conference and a medical ethics expert, criticized the euthanasia of a nearly two-year-old child in the Netherlands, stating that true mercy involves providing adequate palliative care rather than ending a life. The child, born prematurely with severe health issues, was euthanized despite some consulting physicians believing the child was not continuously suffering unbearably and that alternative treatments were available, with a Dutch review committee later concluding the physician acted with due care.
Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs, shares his life story in the film "No Limbs, No Limits: The Nick V Story," highlighting his experiences with bullying, depression, and his achievements such as flying, skydiving, marrying, and having children. The film portrays how Nick's faith and determination have enabled him to overcome hardships and inspire millions by demonstrating that disability does not define a person's value or potential for a fulfilling life. Despite challenges that could have led to abortion or euthanasia, Nick Vujicic's life affirms the beauty and worth of life, countering views that see disability as a death sentence and showing that mental limits can be the greatest obstacles.
Alicia Duncan is calling for reforms after her 61-year-old mother, Donna Duncan, was given Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) at home in Abbotsford, British Columbia, in 2021 shortly after being released from psychiatric care following a suicide attempt. Donna had been approved for MAiD by two independent assessors despite not being terminally ill, and her family questioned why she was released from psychiatric care only to receive euthanasia hours later, prompting Alicia to testify against the planned expansion of euthanasia to those with mental illness in Canada.
A person in Victoria, Australia, died by suicide after taking lethal assisted suicide drugs that were left unused when their partner died in hospital without using them, according to a report from the Victoria Government's Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. The report also highlights issues such as non-compliance with the law regarding the return of unused drugs, a significant increase in euthanasia deaths over five years, and upcoming expansions to the assisted suicide and euthanasia laws in Victoria set for 2027.
A person in Victoria, Australia, died by suicide after taking lethal assisted suicide drugs that were prescribed for their partner, who had died in hospital without using them. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board found no evidence that the assisted suicide process contributed to this unintended death and stated the program continues to operate safely despite issues with the return of unused drugs and a significant increase in euthanasia and assisted suicide cases in recent years.
Pope Leo XIV visited France on a pilgrimage focused on human dignity, where he met with abuse victims, embraced people with disabilities, and emphasized that life is more than avoiding suffering, opposing euthanasia. During the trip, he also spent meaningful time with three adult men with profound disabilities, offering them fraternity and equality, while other news highlights included a Zambian archbishop's court appearance, Vatican clarification on abuse by Fr.
A group of medical professionals sent a letter to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee stating that healthcare professionals should never assist with executions following the botched lethal injection execution of Tony Carruthers on May 21, 2026 in Tennessee. Austin Sarat reported that Tony Carruthers was taken to the execution chamber where the state of Tennessee began the process of putting him to death.
Doctors are facing societal punishment or professional discipline for refusing to provide legal but controversial interventions like abortion, euthanasia, and gender transition due to their religious or moral beliefs. A British Columbia doctor was fined $28,100 for refusing to administer puberty blockers to a 14-year-old transgender girl based on his objections.
Doctors in the Netherlands ended the life of a nearly 2-year-old child with severe brain damage under the country's new euthanasia framework for young children, with government investigators confirming the doctors acted with due care. The child, born at 26 weeks with extensive brain damage and multiple severe medical conditions, was the first euthanasia case under the expanded 2024 law legalizing termination of life for children aged 1 to 12 with severe illnesses.
St Timothy Anglican Church Hall in Hatchet Lake, Nova Scotia, is hosting a free Hot Potato evening in early October to provide information about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Staff from the MAiD program will deliver a presentation on the criteria, process, and considerations related to MAiD. The event aims to educate attendees about the legal aspects of MAiD rather than unrelated topics, as indicated by the promotional material and the involvement of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition's Executive Director, Alex Schadenberg.
Victoria, Australia has experienced a 400% increase in euthanasia cases over five years, with 512 deaths by euthanasia and assisted suicide recorded in 2025-26, representing 1.1% of all deaths in the region that year. Significant expansions to the assisted suicide and euthanasia laws are set to take effect in 2027, including extending the prognosis limit from six to twelve months and allowing doctors to raise the topic unprompted with patients nearing the end of life.
Pope Leo, speaking in Lourdes, France, condemned euthanasia and assisted suicide, emphasizing the dignity of human life. He acknowledged the suffering of those with illnesses and pain but rejected causing death under the guise of false compassion.
Brigitte Stegemann was an 83-year-old mother of two who is mentioned in the context of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's 2020 document Samaritanus Bonus states that euthanasia is considered a crime against human life because it involves directly causing the death of an innocent human being.
Pope Leo XIV condemned assisted dying as immoral and described it as "false compassion" during his visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, emphasizing that causing death should never be treated as normal or moral despite legal permissions. He urged healthcare professionals to care for suffering persons rather than eliminate them and reaffirmed the Church's teaching that every human life must be protected from conception until natural death, opposing abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide.
In 2024, Canada recorded 16,499 euthanasia deaths, which is 1,135 more than the 15,364 firearm homicide deaths in the United States during the same year, according to data from Health Canada and the CDC. This comparison has been highlighted by U.S.
Concerns about societal attitudes toward the unborn, elderly, and seriously ill, highlighting the expansion of abortion and euthanasia practices in North America and Europe, including specific cases in Canada and the United States. It also addresses the pressure on parents of children with disabilities to abort, the ethical implications of treating dependency as grounds for ending life, and recent political rhetoric that some interpret as endorsing violence, framing these issues as part of a broader cultural shift regarding the value of human life.
A two-year-old child in the Netherlands was euthanised due to severe medical conditions including brain damage, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, epileptic seizures, and respiratory difficulties, marking the first known case of euthanasia for a non-infant under 12 in the country. The decision was made after medical professionals and the child's parents concluded that the suffering was unbearable and without prospect of relief, and the doctor acted with due care following consultations and second opinions as required by Dutch law, which permits assisted dying for terminally ill children aged one to 12 under strict conditions.
The first terminally ill child euthanized under the Netherlands' expanded assisted-dying laws was a 1-year-old baby born prematurely at 26 weeks with severe brain damage and multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. The euthanasia was performed lawfully after physicians determined the child's suffering was unbearable with no prospect of improvement, and the parents gave informed consent following consultation with independent doctors and adherence to legal protocols.
On September 27, Leo XIV visited the Accueil Notre-Dame Center at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, addressing patients and their companions about the dignity of human life and rejecting euthanasia and abortion despite their legal status in France. He emphasized that no human law should undermine the inalienable dignity of the person, urged healthcare workers to care for the suffering rather than eliminate life, and called for the development of palliative care and tender accompaniment of the sick.
Pope Leo XIV condemned France's recent legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide during a speech at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, emphasizing that killing the sick is neither compassionate nor moral despite its legality. He urged healthcare workers to care for suffering individuals with dignity and called for the rejection of death under the guise of false compassion, highlighting the importance of palliative care and the value of the sick to humanity and the Church.
During his Apostolic Journey to France, Pope Leo XIV condemned assisted suicide and euthanasia laws, calling them 'false compassion' and emphasizing the inalienable dignity of the human person. He urged the healthcare community to care for suffering individuals rather than eliminate them, criticizing recent French legislation legalizing assisted dying and warning against the moral dangers of such laws.
