Pope Leo XIV addresses Jubilee gathering at the Vatican
VATICAN CITY, Dec 23 (Reuters) – Pope Leo on Tuesday criticized the governor of the U.S. state of Illinois for approving a law that allows certain adults with terminal illnesses to end their lives with medical assistance, marking a rare political comment from the church leader.
Leo, the first pope from the United States, told reporters outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, that he was “very disappointed” with Governor JB Pritzker for signing the legislation.
“Unfortunately … he chose to sign that bill,” the pope said while responding to a question about the measure. “I’m very disappointed about that.”
Leo, who is originally from Chicago, met with Pritzker at the Vatican last month and said he spoke with the governor “very explicitly” about the proposed law.
As the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope generally avoids weighing in on local political matters.
The Illinois legislation, set to take effect next September, allows terminally ill adults who are expected to live six months or less to request a medical prescription to end their lives.
The Catholic Church teaches that life is sacred from conception until natural death and opposes abortion, capital punishment, and assisted dying laws.
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