Pope Leo XIV delivered a sharp condemnation of medically assisted dying during a mass in Lourdes, France, on Sept. 27, 2026, telling a crowd of roughly 150,000 people that legalizing the practice amounts to a “false compassion.” The open-air service, held on the meadow next to the main basilica and attended by numerous individuals in wheelchairs, marked a central moment in the pontiff’s visit to the Catholic pilgrimage site.
Papal Denunciation of Assisted Dying in Lourdes
During his homily, Pope Leo XIV addressed patients living in severe pain, asserting that human beings possess an intrinsic dignity that no legislation or technological algorithm can strip away. According to reporting by the Associated Press, the pontiff explicitly rejected the push for legalizing termination of life, stating that legality does not equate to morality. “We must reject the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion. What is legal is not necessarily moral,” Leo XIV said to applause from the assembled crowd. The agency noted that the French parliament approved a bill in mid-July allowing terminally ill patients to access assisted dying under strict criteria.
Catholic Teachings on the Sanctity of Life
The papal visit to France reinforced traditional Catholic doctrine regarding the protection of human life from conception until natural death. Echo24 reported that this framework underpins the Church’s strict opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. Addressing the vulnerable and sick gathered at the shrine, the pope offered encouragement directly to those carrying heavy burdens. “Your crutches, your wheelchairs, and your hidden tears are not an obstacle. On the contrary, it is here that you are fully respected and welcomed,” Leo XIV said, describing Lourdes as a sacred sanctuary where life is embraced as a precious gift from God.
Confronting the Clergy Abuse Crisis in France
Beyond the sanctuary’s reputation for authenticated miraculous healings—the Church recognizes 72 such events—Lourdes has also emerged as a place of reckoning for victims of clerical sexual abuse. Echo24 noted that Pope Leo XIV met with seven victims in the evening, including an individual abused in adulthood, highlighting a modern dimension of the Church’s abuse crisis. Earlier, the pontiff urged French bishops to maintain their fight against the sexual abuse of minors. That ongoing effort traces back to a commission report released five years prior by French experts, which estimated that representatives of the French Catholic Church had sexually abused roughly 216,000 children—primarily boys—since 1950, a figure that rises to approximately 330,000 when including lay workers within church-affiliated institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Papal Visit
- The pope celebrated mass on the meadow beside the main basilica in Lourdes, France, in front of an estimated 150,000 attendees.
- According to the Associated Press, he condemned medically assisted dying as a “false compassion” and stated that legality does not guarantee morality.
- Lourdes is a major Catholic pilgrimage site associated with miraculous healings, making it a focal point for the Church’s teachings on the sanctity of life and the care of vulnerable, suffering individuals.
- The pontiff met with seven abuse victims, including someone abused in adulthood, and urged French bishops to continue addressing historical clerical abuse within the Church.
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