Pope Leo says ‘what is legal is not necessarily moral’ on assisted dying

Pope Leo XIV has condemned medically assisted dying as “false compassion” during a visit to Lourdes, France, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s opposition to euthanasia and assisted death.

According to the Associated Press the pope made the comments on Sunday while celebrating Mass before about 150,000 people at the Catholic pilgrimage site.

“On the contrary, 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. What is legal is not necessarily moral,” Leo said.

His comments come as France moves forward with legislation allowing some adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication.

Leo told sick and disabled people at Lourdes that their lives retained their dignity regardless of their circumstances.

“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.

The pope has repeatedly spoken against abortion, euthanasia and medically assisted dying during his visit to France, in line with Catholic teaching that human life should be protected from conception until natural death.