Pope Leo Calls Assisted Dying 'False Compassion' in France
The pontiff visits Lourdes to defend human dignity amid French legislation allowing medically assisted death.
The pontiff visits Lourdes to defend human dignity amid French legislation allowing medically assisted death.
KEY TAKEAWAYS- Pope Leo XIV has criticized the legalization of medically assisted dying, calling it immoral and an example of 'false compassion' during a visit to Lourdes, France.
- In his homily, Leo said, '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.
- More recently, Lourdes has also become a place of healing for survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
- [cbsnews.
Pope Leo Criticizes Assisted Dying at Lourdes
Pope Leo XIV has criticized the legalization of medically assisted dying, calling it immoral and an example of 'false compassion' during a visit to Lourdes, France. The pontiff made the remarks on Sunday as he visited the Catholic shrine, which is associated with miraculous cures of the sick.
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.
The American pope celebrated Mass before some 150,000 people on the prairie next to Lourdes' main basilica. He then visited a care center for sick people on the sanctuary's grounds, seeking to encourage those who live in 'terrible pain' that they have inherent dignity that no law can 'eliminate.'
A Message of Dignity and Hope
In his homily, Leo said, '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.' He added, 'What is legal is not necessarily moral,' prompting applause from the crowd.
The site near the Spanish border draws millions of pilgrims each year, especially sick and disabled believers hoping for a cure from the famed spring water in the Lourdes grotto. In Lourdes, where the church has recognized 72 'miraculous' cures as authentic, the question of respecting even the most frail, sick and vulnerable is particularly acute.
Leo sought to encourage those in attendance that their physical limitations are not obstacles. '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.
Addressing the Church's Abuse Crisis
More recently, Lourdes has also become a place of healing for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Leo met with seven survivors on Sunday, including one who was abused as an adult, in recognition of the new frontier of the abuse crisis facing the church.
The French church has endured a brutal reckoning with its legacy of abuse. An independent report in 2021 estimated 330,000 children had been abused over 70 years by some 3,000 priests and church workers. Despite criticism of the report's methodology and conclusions, French bishops put in place an independent system of compensation for victims.
During a meeting with French bishops on Sunday morning, Leo praised their response to victims and urged them to continue. He also acknowledged that the cratering in priestly vocations in the French church is related to the scandal, given the priesthood is now sometimes viewed with suspicion.
Sources and context
cbsnews.com — Pope Leo criticizes legalization of assisted dying as "false compassion"
abcnews.com — Pope blasts assisted dying as 'false compassion'
