Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, on September 27, 2026./SCREENGRABPope Leo XIV has condemned medically assisted dying, describing it as immoral and warning against what he called “false compassion” towards people living with serious illnesses.
The Pope made the remarks on Sunday during Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France, a major Catholic pilgrimage site associated with reported miraculous cures.
“It is precisely in the name of this inalienable dignity of the human person that we must reject the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion,” Leo said, drawing applause from the crowd.
“What is legal is not necessarily moral,” he added.
The remarks came on the third day of his visit to France, where the debate over assisted dying has intensified following legislation allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication.
Leo has repeatedly called for the protection of human life during his visit, in line with Catholic teaching opposing abortion, euthanasia and medically assisted dying.
His visit to Lourdes drew large crowds, including many people living with disabilities and serious illnesses. He later visited a care centre for sick people at the sanctuary.
Leo told those experiencing severe suffering that their condition does not diminish their dignity.
“Your crutches, your wheelchairs and your hidden tears are not obstacles; instead, they are the very place where you are fully respected and welcomed,” he said in his homily.
“Lourdes is blessed as a place for professing the beauty and sanctity of life, for life is welcomed here as a precious gift from God,” he added.
Lourdes became a major pilgrimage destination after the Catholic Church recognised visions of the Virgin Mary reported by a young girl in 1858. The site attracts millions of pilgrims each year, including sick and disabled believers seeking healing.
The Church has recognised 72 cures at Lourdes as miraculous.
Leo’s visit has also focused on the Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse cases in France.
The Pope was scheduled to meet seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse later on Sunday, including one person who was abused as an adult.
The French Catholic Church has faced extensive scrutiny over its handling of abuse. An independent report published in 2021 estimated that about 330,000 children had been abused over seven decades by priests and other church workers.
French bishops subsequently established an independent compensation system for victims, which has recommended payments exceeding 20 million euros, according to the report.
During a meeting with French bishops on Sunday morning, Leo praised their response to survivors and urged them to continue their efforts.
He also acknowledged the impact of the abuse scandal on priestly vocations, saying the priesthood is sometimes viewed with suspicion.
“For priestly vocations to flourish, the priest must be welcomed, accepted, and loved,” Leo said.
Before the Pope arrived in France, a group of abuse survivors published an open letter calling on him to acknowledge the Church’s responsibility in the scandal.
The survivors also criticised a system in which bishops can serve as both spiritual leaders and judges in cases involving priests accused of abuse.
Monsignor Pierre-Antoine Bozo, spokesperson for the French bishops’ conference, said the Pope had deliberately kept the group meeting him small to allow for a more personal encounter.
“When it comes to listening to them, you can't have 50 people in front of you,” he said. “So I think that's really what the pope chose: to listen so that we can act and respond more effectively.”
