Pope denounces abortion, warns against surrogacy as exploitation of mothers and children

Pope Leo XIV denounced abortion and called surrogacy a violation of the dignity of both mother and child during remarks to members of the diplomatic corps on Friday.

"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," Pope Leo said.

"Among these is abortion, which cuts short a growing life and refuses to welcome the gift of life," the pope said. "In this regard, 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.’"

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Pope Leo also criticized the use of public funds to "suppress life."

"It also considers it deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life, rather than being invested to support mothers and families," Pope Leo said. "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."

Pope Leo also condemned surrogacy, saying the practice of a woman carrying a baby for another person or couple violates the dignity of both the mother and the child.

"Likewise, there is the practice of surrogacy," he said. "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, and distorting the original relational calling of the family."

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According to The Business Research Company, the global surrogacy market reached $16.01 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $37.31 billion by 2029.

Before addressing surrogacy, Pope Leo also reiterated Church teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman and that children should be brought into such a union.

"The vocation to love and to life, which manifests itself in an important way in the exclusive and indissoluble union between a woman and a man, implies a fundamental ethical imperative for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life," Pope Leo said. "This is increasingly a priority, especially in those countries that are experiencing a dramatic decline in birth rates. Life, in fact, is a priceless gift that develops within a committed relationship based on mutual self-giving and service."