Pope Leo XIV is not happy with his home state’s governor.
Leo, a Chicago native, said he was “very disappointed” that Illinois approved the “Medical Aid in Dying” bill, legalizing physician-assisted death in the state.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the bill on December 12, but it will not take effect until September 12, 2026, to allow the state’s public health department time to implement its procedures and protocols.
The pope told reporters on Tuesday as he left his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, that he had “explicitly” spoken with Pritzker before the bill was signed, advising him not to do so.
“We were very clear about the necessity to respect the sacredness of life from the very beginning to the very end,” Leo said. “Unfortunately, for different reasons, he decided to sign that bill. I am very disappointed about that.”
“I would invite all people, especially in these Christmas feast days, to reflect upon the nature of human life; the goodness of human life,” the pontiff added. “I hope and pray that the respect for life will once again grow in all moments of human existence, from conception to natural death.”
The “Medical Aid in Dying” bill is also known as Deb’s Law, in honor of Illinois resident Deb Robertson. Robertson, an outspoken advocate of the measure, lives with a terminal case of an aggressive cancer called neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Deb’s Law allows adult individuals with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or fewer the choice to request a prescription from their physician which they can self-ingest to die autonomously. The law includes strict requirements for both physicians and patients.
“I have been deeply impacted by the stories of Illinoisans or their loved ones that have suffered from a devastating terminal illness, and I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak,” Pritzker said in a statement.
“Today, Illinois honors their strength and courage by enacting legislation that enables patients faced with debilitating terminal illnesses to make a decision, in consultation with a doctor, that helps them avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives,” he continued.
“This legislation will be thoughtfully implemented so that physicians can consult patients on making deeply personal decisions with authority, autonomy, and empathy.”
The right to medically-assisted suicide, or dying with dignity, is currently legal in 12 states, and seven others are considering legislation.
