Pope Leo XIV criticized the legalization of medically assisted death as immoral 'false compassion' during a visit to Lourdes, France on 2026-09-27, reaffirming Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life. The comments continue the Vatican's opposition to end-of-life legislation being adopted in multiple countries.
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Pope Leo XIV has criticized the legalization of medically assisted death.
On his third day in France, Leo again waded into the end-of-life debate that has erupted in countries around the world. It roiled French politics for years before resulting recently in legislation allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication.
Yawn “LOURDES, France (AP) — Pope Leo XIV blasted the legalization of medically assisted death as immoral “false compassion,” as he doubled down on Catholic teaching about life during a visit Sunday to Lourdes, the French Catholic shrine associated with miraculous cures of the sick.”
It's not false compassion to help ease the pain of a dying person. In fact, it's not compassionate to keep a person alive while they're in the end stage of life; especially if they're in immense and irreversible pain. But, sure. Let's keep torturing them by keeping them san.com/cc/pope-leo-... Pope Leo XIV condemned assisted dying as "false compassion" during a visit to Lourdes, France, amid debat
Pope Leo criticized France's legalization of assisted dying during his trip to the country over the weekend. CBS News' Chris Livesay reports.