French Catholic bishops condemn legalization of euthanasia: ‘Turning point in our country’s history’

The French bishops warned that the country’s legalization of euthanasia ‘breaks with the long tradition of care’ and will erode the ‘bond of trust’ between medical workers and patients.

(LifeSiteNews) ― The Bishops’ Conference of France denounceed the country’s passage of a law on Wednesday that legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide. In its July 15 statement following the passage, the bishops’ conference noted that the legislation marked a “serious turning point” for the country, breaking with the traditional care practice of alleviating a patient’s suffering while accompanying them to the end of their natural life. The bishops further stressed that the law will cause tremendous harm to vulnerable patients, and they recommitted to serving the sick toward the end of their lives.

France, which has been considered the “eldest daughter of the Church,” passed the legislation that will allow the allegedly terminally ill to die by euthanasia or assisted suicide, by a 291-241 vote, on Wednesday after an aggressive push. The law makes France one of a handful of European countries that have legalized killing oneself in a medical setting, including Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. “July 15, 2026, marks a serious turning point in our country’s history.

By choosing to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide, members of Parliament have enshrined in French law the possibility of causing death,” the bishops wrote. “This decision breaks with the long tradition of care, whose purpose is to alleviate suffering and accompany each person to the natural end of their life.” “(A)n issue as fundamental to our social contract as this deserved full consideration of the human, medical, ethical, and social consequences of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The effects of such legislation cannot yet be fully measured, but they are already becoming apparent. Our relationship to vulnerability, old age, disability, and illness will change,” they added. “The bond of trust between generations—as well as between caregivers, patients, and their families—will be eroded, and society’s view of fragility will be damaged.

The poorest are likely to be the first to pay the price: not wanting to be a burden on their children or grandchildren, elderly people living in precarious circumstances might feel pressured to end their lives.” This story is developing...