Pope Leo XIV has called for a global end to abortion and surrogacy, describing both practices as serious violations of human dignity and the sanctity of life.
The Pope made this known on January 9, 2026, during his first “State of the World” address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See at the Vatican.
Speaking before members of the diplomatic corps, Pope Leo said abortion and surrogacy undermine the value of human life and weaken the foundation of the family.
“In light of this profound vision of life as a gift to be cherished, and of the family as its responsible guardian, we categorically reject any practice that denies or exploits the origin of life and its development,” he said.
He described abortion as a practice that “cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life,” adding that the Church was deeply worried about efforts to fund access to abortion across borders.
“The Holy See expresses deep concern about projects aimed at financing cross-border mobility for the purpose of accessing the so-called right to safe abortion,” Pope Leo said.
He added that it was “deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life, rather than being invested to support mothers and families.”
On surrogacy, the Pope said the practice turns pregnancy into a commercial service and harms both the child and the woman involved.
“By transforming gestation into a negotiable service, this violates the dignity both of the child, who is reduced to a product, and of the mother, exploiting her body and the generative process,” he said.
The Pope stressed that the protection of unborn life must remain a priority for governments and institutions around the world.
“The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she is able to welcome life,” he said.
Beyond issues of life and family, Pope Leo warned that the world is facing growing threats from war, weak multilateral cooperation and the misuse of language in politics and public debate.
He said modern society was witnessing a “short circuit of human rights,” where freedom of conscience, religious freedom and even the right to life were being restricted in the name of new ideologies.
“The protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right,” he said.
The Pope also raised concerns about rising conflicts across the globe, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, violence in Africa, and political instability in several regions.
“Peace is no longer sought as a desirable good in itself but through weapons as a condition for asserting dominion,” he warned.
Calling for renewed commitment to dialogue, Pope Leo urged world leaders to reject violence and embrace peace built on justice and respect for human dignity.
“Peace remains a difficult yet realistic good,” he said. “It requires humility, courage and a sincere commitment to truth.”
The address marked Pope Leo XIV’s most direct and detailed statement yet on global moral, political and humanitarian challenges since his election as head of the Catholic Church.
