In Lourdes, Pope Leo rejects ‘false compassion’ of assisted dying, condemns abortion of the disabled

Pope Leo XIV spoke against assisted suicide and the abortion of people with disabilities during a meeting with patients and caregivers at the Accueil Notre Dame in Lourdes, France, on Sept. 27, 2026. Addressing the sick community at the sanctuary, the Pope stated that medicine should not serve programmed death and that no one has the right to decide the life of an embryo or an elderly person based on laboratory algorithms.

The Pope told those suffering from illness that they are not a burden, calling them a precious treasure for the Church and the beating heart of humanity. He emphasized that human laws should not cause people to lose their certainty of dignity. His remarks followed a testimony from a paraplegic woman who spoke to him on stage. Patients and staff at the medical facility responded to his speech with applause.