Bishop Matano on Assisted Suicide in Vermont (2013)

Statement by Bishop Salvatore R. Matano from the Diocese of Burlington regarding the legalization of doctor-prescribed suicide, May 20, 2013

Bishop Salvatore R. Matano expresses strong opposition to Vermont’s legalization of physician-assisted suicide (Senate Bill S.77). He frames the law as a tragic development that contradicts the Catholic belief that God alone is the author of life and that human beings do not have the moral authority to determine when life should end. 

The statement criticizes the law for placing medical professionals—whose role is to heal and care—in the position of intentionally ending life. It argues that this undermines the dignity and sanctity of human life and turns life into a commodity rather than something inherently valuable. 

Bishop Matano also contends that the law is misleadingly presented as promoting “choice” and “autonomy,” while it actually places unjust burdens on healthcare providers and distracts from the need for compassionate alternatives like palliative care. 

He further claims the law creates a contradiction in Vermont’s moral stance, noting that a state opposed to the death penalty and war now permits ending life in medical contexts. 

The statement concludes by reaffirming the Catholic Church’s commitment to protecting human dignity and life at all stages—from conception to natural death—and calls for continued care and compassion for the vulnerable.

Bishop-Matano-on-Legalization-of-Physician-Assisted-Suicide-2013-05-20-2.pdf