When State-sanctioned death came into force in 2016, we were told that only those in their right minds would be eligible. We now know that was a lie.

Killing the mentally ill brings us into territory mined by the Third Reich. Those who did not fit the profile of supermen had no right to eat the food of the healthy. The Nazis called it mercy killing. They argued that they were relieving the suffering of the person and “burdened” families had to bear to take care of such defective people.

Of course, the Nazis didn’t offer it as a choice. But then again when our doctors start offering death to Canadians with mental illness, how much of a real choice will that be?

For many years those who suffered mental illness, especially those who thought of or attempted suicide, were helped to get past their problems. And as time has gone on, there have been better and better medications to help those in need. So, it strikes me as strange that just when medicine can offer real relief for many, the government steps in with a lethal injection of poison. Is this progress?

A few weeks ago, I realized that I had not heard a word from the pulpit about any of this. Euthanasia, for whomever it’s used, is a mortal sin.

I decided to write to about 15 priests I know, asking them to start talking about this before it’s too late. I wrote:

“I am begging you all to begin to tackle this subject and rally your congregations to start doing something: writing to their MPs, educating fellow parishioners, finding ways to protest, handing out literature at the end of Mass, petitions… and anything else you might think of. I realize that all of you have great responsibilities and little time. But this is an emergency.”

I pointed out in the letter that at the time of legalization about 80 per cent of Canadians were fine with some form of assisted suicide. Seventy per cent of Catholics were also in favour of the State offering death to the dying. Then I noted that a Postmedia-Legere Poll in July found that only 45 per cent “supported extending MAID to adults diagnosed with serious mental illness.”

That means there’s a chance to stop this. Never in the modern euthanasia debate have we had the general population on our side on a life issue. This is a chance for the Church to take the lead in a great moral battle. And by helping to stop killing the mentally ill, we could also explain to our secular friends, and Catholics as well, why we oppose euthanasia in general.

Unfortunately, only one priest got back to me. I’m sure they were busy. Yet I must ask: What are they doing? Why aren’t they speaking in a forceful way? Maybe some out there who are speaking out are making plans to try to stop this and I honour them.

But something tells me we are sleep walking into yet another extension of euthanasia… another expansion of the anti-life regime.

A deeply religious man who is involved in the Catholic world told me he didn’t believe there is anything we can do. The government doesn’t care what we think. One priest told me a few years ago that he was concerned about offending his liberal parishioners. Can someone who is in favour of euthanasia be a good Catholic?

Please read The Lion of Munster by Toronto’s Fr. Daniel Utrecht about how Bishop Clemens August Graf von Galen dared to speak out against the Nazi program of euthanasia meant to kill off the physically and mentally weak.

Listen to von Gallen’s words as quoted by Fr. Daniel: “Who will then be able to trust his doctor? Perhaps he will report the patient as ‘unproductive’ and receive the order to kill him. It is unthinkable what degeneration of morals, what universal mistrust will find its way even into the family, if this frightening doctrine is tolerated, taken up, and followed. Woe to humanity …”

If we don’t attempt to stop this we will look back one day and feel shame. We will just be another of the many people who shrug their shoulders and say it’s not my business. That would be a pity.

(Lewis is a regular contributor to The Catholic Register.)