Pope Leo XIV denounces Illinois’ assisted-suicide law, urges renewed respect for life from conception to natural death, and calls for Christmas-season peace and reflection
Newsdesk (24/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) In a wide-ranging remarks session at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep disappointment over Illinois lawmakers’ approval of a medically assisted suicide statute, urging broader reverence for life from conception to natural death. The pontiff said he had spoken “explicitly” with Governor JB Pritzker and pressed him not to sign the bill, a stance echoed by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich. “We were very clear about the necessity to respect the sacredness of life from the very beginning to the very end, and unfortunately, for different reasons, he decided to sign that bill,” Leo told reporters as he departed from his country residence.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, signed Deb’s Law on December 12. The measure, named in honor of Deb Robertson, a state resident living with a rare terminal illness, allows medically assisted suicide for adults with a terminal prognosis (six months or less) and is slated to take effect in September 2026. Pritzker has said he was moved by stories of patients suffering from terminal illness, a sentiment that the pope tied to the broader Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life. The papal address invoked the Church’s long-standing stance against abortion and euthanasia, urging believers and nonbelievers alike to reflect on the intrinsic value of human life.
The Vatican’s stance found immediate resonance and critique within the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. The six dioceses in Illinois joined other voices in expressing concern that the new law could “put Illinois on a dangerous and heartbreaking path.” The pope’s remarks came as part of a broader international briefing in which he addressed global crises—from the war in Ukraine to the Middle East peace process, and a Christmas-day prayer for a pause in fighting worldwide.
In discussing Ukraine, the pope lamented Russia’s seemingly rejected Christmas truce request, urging a 24-hour ceasefire to honor the season’s spirit of peace. He also underscored hope for progress in the Middle East ceasefire arrangements, noting Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa’s recent visit to Gaza as a beacon of humanitarian concern amid ongoing peril. He spoke with local clergy in Gaza City via a line of dialogue that included Father Gabriel Romanelli and the Church of the Holy Family parish, expressing cautious optimism that peace agreements could advance despite precarious conditions on the ground.
Back in the United States, Leo XIV’s comments framed Illinois’s decision within a larger moral conversation about life’s dignity. He urged citizens to “reflect on the nature of human life, the goodness of human life,” especially during the Christmas season when he called for peace and mercy to prevail. He reminded followers that “God became human like us to show us what it means really to live human life,” urging a renewal of reverence at every stage of existence—from conception to natural death.
Several observers noted that the pope’s remarks cast a spotlight on the collision between religious doctrine and evolving public policy on end-of-life choices. While proponents of Deb’s Law argue that the measure respects patient autonomy in the face of terminal illness, opponents contend it risks normalizing suicide as a medical option and could undermine palliative care and protections for vulnerable populations. The Vatican’s intervention, however, framed the issue as a moral imperative—one rooted in universal commitments to life, compassion, and the sanctity of human dignity.
As the holiday season unfolds, the pope’s message centers on a call for mindful consideration of life’s value in all circumstances. He extended an invitation to people of good will to embrace a broader ethic of care and respect for life, “from conception to natural death,” hoping that this ethos will endure beyond Christmas and into the ordinary days of civic life. The debate in Illinois and across the United States over end-of-life care thus enters a new phase, with religious voices urging restraint and reflection even as lawmakers and patients navigate deeply personal questions about autonomy, suffering, and choice.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now and Vatican News
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