Pope speaks out against French assisted-dying and abortion laws in Lourdes visit

Pope Leo XIV criticized France's laws legalizing abortion and medically assisted dying during a visit to Lourdes on Sept. 26, 2026.

While meeting with French bishops and ministry workers, the pope offered encouragement and spoke against the nation's current legislation on these issues. He visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where he knelt in the Grotto of Apparitions.