Pope Leo criticizes new Illinois assisted‑suicide law
Pope Leo XIV said he is "very disappointed" that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act on Dec. 12, legalizing physician-assisted suicide for eligible terminally ill adults in the Pope’s home state. Leo said he had explicitly urged Pritzker not to approve the bill, echoed opposition from Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich and the state’s six Catholic dioceses, and called during remarks near Rome for renewed respect for human life "from conception to natural death" as the law takes effect in September 2026.
📌 Key Facts
- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act ('Deb’s Law') on Dec. 12, allowing eligible terminally ill adult patients to obtain life-ending medication after doctor consultations.
- Pope Leo XIV, who grew up in Chicago, told reporters Tuesday he was "very disappointed" Pritzker signed the bill and said he had spoken "explicitly" with the governor urging him not to do so.
- The law takes effect in September 2026 to allow providers and the Illinois Department of Public Health time to implement procedures and protections, and Illinois becomes one of 12 states plus Washington, D.C., that allow medically assisted suicide.
- Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich and the six Catholic dioceses of Illinois publicly opposed the bill, calling it a "dangerous and heartbreaking path."
- Supporters, including Pritzker, say the law will let patients with terminal illnesses avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of life and will be "thoughtfully implemented" with safeguards.
📊 Relevant Data
In aggregated data from 1998 to 2020 across US jurisdictions with medical aid in dying, 95.6% of individuals who died by MAID were non-Hispanic White, compared to their population proportion of about 60% in the US.
Aggregating 23 years of data on medical aid in dying in the United States — Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Black males in the US had a 19% higher cancer mortality rate than White males as of 2022, despite a 49% decrease in Black male cancer mortality from 1991 to 2022.
New Study Calls for Action to Reverse Course of Racial Disparities — American Cancer Society
African Americans are least likely to support assisted dying compared to other race/ethnic groups in the USA, based on a 2024 study.
Diverse racial, ethnic and cultural perspectives of assisted dying. A scoping review — PMC (NCBI)
In Oregon in 2024, 92% of the 376 Death with Dignity Act deaths were among White patients, with a median age of 75 years.
2024 Oregon Death with Dignity Act Data Summary — Oregon Health Authority
Black patients are less likely to use hospice than White patients, even after controlling for gender, marital status, education, existence of a living will, and medical history, according to a 2023 analysis.
Disparities in end-of-life care for racial minorities: a narrative review — Annals of Palliative Medicine