Cardinal Cupich, Catholic nuns, and a pharmacist sue to block Illinois assisted-suicide law

On September 3, 2026, Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Little Sisters of the Poor (Chicago Province and Palatine), and Morrison pharmacist Luke Vander Bleek filed Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm v. Prince in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Becket asked the court to block Illinois’ End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act before it takes effect September 12.

Plaintiffs argue that objecting providers must still inform patients about assisted suicide, help them qualify for lethal drugs, and refer them onward, and that broad “coercion” and “undue influence” language could chill life-affirming counsel, Becket said. Named state defendants include Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Terry Prince, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Sameer Vohra, and Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Secretary Mario Treto Jr., the Sun-Times reported.

Separately, Aleteia reported that Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield and other plaintiffs already hold an August 21 temporary restraining order that blocks referral requirements for those parties. That earlier case, Kirchoff, produced a stipulated order limited to the named plaintiffs and Catholic health entities under Paprocki’s authority — not a statewide block. As of September 6, 2026, the Cupich suit remains pending. This brief does not claim a statewide preliminary injunction.