Pontifical Academy for Life

The Latest

Pope Francis meets with members of the Pontifical Academy for Life on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Technological development must promote the human being

Feb 13, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The pope’s comments come as members of the Pontifical Academy for Life are meeting in Rome from Feb. 12–14 for... Read more

Nobel prize for medicine laureate Katalin Kariko speaks during the annual Nobel Symposium hosted by the Swedish Embassy at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Pope names biochemist who contributed to COVID vaccine to Pontifical Academy for Life

Feb 12, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Katalin Karikó helped develop the mRNA technology used to create the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Read more

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia.

Pontifical Academy for Life responds to outcry over Archbishop Paglia assisted suicide comments

Apr 24, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Italian prelate’s statement that legalized assisted suicide is “feasible” refers to a “specific” proposed law in Italy, the Vatican... Read more

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, grand chancellor of the Pontifical Institute John Paul II, speaks at a press conference.

Pontifical Academy for Life president calls medically assisted suicide ‘feasible’

Apr 23, 2023

By Shannon Mullen, Hannah Brockhaus

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia’s remarks on legalizing assisted suicide contradict the clear teachings of the Catholic Church. Read more

Pope Francis with the Pontifical Academy for Life on Feb. 20, 2023.

Pope Francis asks Pontifical Academy for Life to study ethics of emerging technologies

Feb 20, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The rapid acceleration of new technologies can produce significant consequences for human life and the environment Pope Francis said Feb.... Read more

Pope Francis speaks with members of the press on the flight from Bahrain to Rome.

Pope Francis praises pro-abortion economist on papal commission in remarks about women

Nov 6, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Mariana Mazzucato’s appointment to the Pontifical Academy for Life drew criticism due to her outspoken advocacy for abortion rights. Read more

Sheila Dinotshe Tlou, a nurse and professor of nursing education from Botswana, has played a leading role in HIV/AIDS prevention and other health causes. Her appointment to the Pontifical Academy for Life was announced on Oct. 15, 2022.

Is new Pontifical Academy of Life appointee pro-abortion? She won’t say

Oct 25, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

Sheila Dinotshe Tlou is an outspoken advocate of artificial birth control, which the Catholic Church says is morally unacceptable. Read more

Dr. José María Simón Castellví

Catholic doctor criticizes Pontifical Academy for Life’s appointing of abortion advocates

Oct 19, 2022

By CNA Staff

In an article published Oct. 19, Spanish doctor José María Simón Castellví warned that these appointments are “just the opposite... Read more

Mariana Mazzucato

Pope Francis appoints pro-abortion economist to Pontifical Academy for Life

Oct 18, 2022

By Zelda Caldwell

One of the newest members of the Pontifical Academy for Life appointed by Pope Francis is an outspoken advocate of... Read more

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Church and contraception: Experts expose errors in Pontifical Academy for Life book

Sep 27, 2022

By CNA Staff

Nine international experts have pointed out in an open letter the serious errors contained in a book published a few... Read more

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Theologian at Academy for Life claims one may dissent from Church teaching on contraception

Aug 22, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Pontifical Academy for Life has published an interview with a theologian who says Catholic teaching on contraception is open... Read more

St. Paul VI

Reacting to pontifical academy, theologian says teaching of Humanae vitae can't change

Aug 8, 2022

By Carl Bunderson

Even if a specific encyclical such as Humanae vitae is not infallible, "the teaching that it presents is in fact... Read more

Pope Francis speaks during an in-flight press conference from Malta, April 3, 2022.

Pope Francis on birth control: Can the teaching of the Church on contraception change?

Jul 30, 2022

By Courtney Mares

Can the Church’s teaching on birth control change? During Pope Francis’ return flight from Canada, a journalist asked him about... Read more

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Pontifical Academy of Life says overturning of Roe v. Wade ‘challenges the world’

Jun 24, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The statement was the first official reaction to the court’s decision issued by an entity linked to the Roman Curia. Read more

The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Christmas tree, Dec. 9, 2021.

Vatican reaffirms support for COVID-19 vaccines amid spread of omicron variant

Dec 22, 2021

By CNA Staff

It issued a statement amid global concern about the Omicron variant. Read more

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Ethics committee authorizes first assisted suicide in Italy

Nov 24, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘Nobody can be called to be the bearer of the death of others,’ a spokesman for Italy's Catholic bishops said. Read more

Pope Francis addresses participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, Sept. 27, 2021.

Pope Francis decries abortion and euthanasia as treating human life like ‘waste’

Sep 27, 2021

By Courtney Mares

“Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? That’s what abortion is,” the pope said. Read more

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Campaign for legal euthanasia, assisted suicide takes step forward in Italy

Aug 19, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Campaigners in Italy have passed the first hurdle in an effort to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia. Read more

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, in Philadelphia, March 9, 2015.

Archbishop Paglia pleads with Catholic critics of Covid vaccines

Jul 2, 2021

By Alejandro Bermudez

During a press conference on Friday, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, called Catholics who are... Read more

Credit: Photographee.eu / Shutterstock.

Vatican: Institutionalization of elderly a mark of ‘throwaway culture’

Feb 9, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican called on Tuesday for a rethinking of elder care in a document arguing that the elderly are best... Read more