CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois approved a medically assisted suicide law, in a rare public rebuke of a U.S. state’s policy decision, according to his comments to reporters this week. The measure, known as the Medical Aid in Dying Act or “Deb’s Law,” was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Dec. 12, 2025, and is scheduled to take effect in September 2026.
Leo, who grew up in Chicago before becoming the first American-born pope, said he had spoken “explicitly” with Governor Pritzker during a meeting at the Vatican last month and personally urged him not to sign the bill into law. He also noted that Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich had appealed to the governor with similar views. Despite those efforts, Pritzker signed the legislation, prompting the pontiff’s public comments.
The new law allows eligible terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to receive medication to end their lives, following consultation with a medical professional — a policy already permitted in 11 other states and the District of Columbia. The legislation is named for Deb Robertson, a resident with a rare terminal illness who advocated for the measure, citing suffering and personal autonomy in end-of-life decisions.
In his remarks, Pope Leo cited Catholic teaching on the sanctity of human life from conception until natural death, a doctrine that opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide as incompatible with Church beliefs. “We were very clear about the necessity to respect the sacredness of life from the very beginning to the very end,” he said, expressing hope that respect for human life “will once again grow in all moments of human existence.”
The state’s six Catholic dioceses also criticized the signing of the bill warning that it placed Illinois on a “dangerous and heartbreaking path.” Supporters of the law, including Pritzker, have said the policy is intended to reduce suffering for terminal patients and respects personal dignity and choice at the end of life, balancing safeguards with compassion.
