Pope Leo XIV meets the sick in Lourdes

Catholic IntelligenceSep 27, 2026Updated Sep 27, 8:41 AM PT1 min read

Pope Leo XIV met with sick pilgrims and their caregivers at the Accueil Notre-Dame reception center in Lourdes on the afternoon of September 27. During the visit, the Pope told the suffering pilgrims that they are not a burden but are the beating heart of humanity.

Addressing the group, the Pope stated that medicine must never become an instrument of planned death. He argued that the temptation to end life under the guise of false compassion must be rejected and noted that what is legal is not necessarily moral. He emphasized that human dignity is not something to be measured or debated and should not be lost due to human laws.

The Accueil Notre-Dame center, which opened in 1997, provides lodging and assistance to elderly and sick people visiting the sanctuary. The facility is operated by approximately 50 employees, religious figures, and hundreds of volunteers from the Hospitalité Notre-Dame association.

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