Pope Leo calls assisted dying 'false compassion' and pledges action on clergy abuse during Lourdes visit

From the Newshound archive · first published 27 September 2026 · last updated 29 September 2026.

Pope Leo XIV drew a crowd of 150,000 to an outdoor Mass in Lourdes, France, before condemning medically assisted suicide as "false compassion" and holding a private meeting with seven French survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Leo, the first American pope, declared it "impossible to regard causing death as something normal" and warned that medicine must "never become the servant of programmed death." He also restated his commitment to child protection and listened to survivors' proposals for stronger Church safeguarding measures. France has not received an official papal state visit for 18 years.

Abuse survivor Jérôme Guillement said the pope believes the French Church 'still has a tremendous amount left to do' on safeguarding.

Leo led a candlelit rosary procession of more than 150,000 pilgrims through the sanctuary where Bernadette Soubirous reported seeing the Virgin Mary in 1858.