Sydney, Australia—A profound disquiet has settled upon the Catholic Church in Australia as its leaders voice deep concern over a shocking surge in deaths facilitated by voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation across the nation. The escalating figures, which reveal more than 7,200 VAD deaths since its legalization in 2019, including a staggering 3,329 in the last financial year alone, have prompted a fervent questioning of society’s trajectory and a renewed call for the sanctity of human life.
The statistics, recently highlighted in The Australian and confirmed by state health reports, paint a sobering picture of the rapid expansion of VAD across the country. Queensland, despite VAD only becoming available in January 2023 under the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021, tragically leads the nation with 2,110 total VAD deaths. In the 2024-25 reporting period alone, Queensland recorded 1,072 deaths, while New South Wales reported 1,028 in its first full year of operation.
State-by-State Breakdown of VAD Deaths (2024-25)
The following table illustrates the sharp rise in VAD deaths across various Australian jurisdictions during the most recent reporting period:
| Jurisdiction | VAD Deaths (2024-25) | Notes |
| Queensland | 1,072 | Highest in the nation; 51% in regional/rural areas |
| New South Wales | 1,028 | First full year of operation; 4 out of 5 elected VAD |
| South Australia | 579 (requests) | 574 people had their first request approved |
| Western Australia | 480 | 63.8% increase from the previous year |
| Victoria | 389 | Unprecedented 837 requests received |
Bishops Speak Out: An Indictment on the System
Bishop Tim Harris of Townsville expressed his dismay at these findings, describing the discovery as “shocking.” He argued that the system itself is an indictment of a society that fails to provide adequate care for the terminally ill:
“This is nothing to be proud of and more of an indictment on the system that has been set up to facilitate such a horror as state sanctioned suicide. This is the path that governments have provided for the terminally ill without any serious or proper funding of palliative care”.
Bishop Harris’s critique centers on the government’s responsibility to support life rather than “colluding to take life away.” His words echo the Church’s consistent teaching that true compassion lies in accompanying the suffering, alleviating pain, and upholding the inherent dignity of every human person until natural death.
Sydney auxiliary Bishop Danny Meagher, bishop delegate for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference euthanasia taskforce, highlighted the social isolation that often drives such choices. He noted that the choice of death often indicates a “lack of sense of belonging” and a “lack of care and support for our vulnerable”. He specifically called for increased funding for palliative care, particularly in regional areas where medical support is often lacking.
The Myth of Rarity and the Church’s Moral Stance
The rapid increase in VAD deaths challenges the initial assurances that such practices would be rare. Xavier Symons, director of the Australian Catholic University Plunkett Centre for Bioethics, noted that the “myth” of rarity has been replaced by a disturbing “normalization” of death.
This normalization stands in direct opposition to the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life. In the 2020 Vatican letter Samaritanus Bonus (“The Good Samaritan”), the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirmed that “euthanasia is a crime against human life” and that “any formal or immediate material cooperation in such an act is a grave sin against human life”. The document emphasizes that the Church’s mission is to provide “integral care” that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the dying, rather than offering a “false compassion” through assisted suicide.
The Church maintains that the “common good” must be prioritized over “personal choice” when that choice involves the intentional ending of a human life. The rise in VAD deaths is seen as a failure of the “culture of care” that should define a truly humane society.
A Spiritual Resolution: Upholding the Sanctity of Life
In the face of these challenging realities, the Catholic Church calls all faithful to a deeper commitment to the Gospel of Life. Our response must be rooted in prayer, compassion, and unwavering advocacy for the vulnerable:
- Sacred Scripture: Let us meditate on the profound truth that human life is a sacred gift from God. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5). This divine affirmation of life’s value calls us to protect and cherish it at every stage.
- The Holy Eucharist: In the Holy Mass, we encounter Christ, the source of all life. Let us offer our prayers and sacrifices for those contemplating VAD, for their families, and for a society that truly values every human person. Receiving the Eucharist strengthens us to be witnesses to life.
- The Sacrament of Confession: Let us seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation to purify our hearts and minds, asking for the grace to uphold the sanctity of life and to be instruments of God’s mercy and compassion.
- The Holy Rosary: We turn to the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn and of Life, through the Rosary. We pray for a change of heart in legislators and for the flourishing of palliative care initiatives.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Let us spend time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, interceding for all who are suffering, that they may find comfort, hope, and the loving support they deserve, and that society may choose life over death.
For trusted updates on the Church’s global mission and further resources on the sanctity of life, we encourage you to visit www.ewtnvatican.com.
