Vatican foreign minister laments youth suicide rate, deplores assisted suicide
October 03, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, said in a statement for a recent UN meeting that “the Holy See is deeply concerned about the high number of attempted suicides around the world each year.”
“Tragically, suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, whose bright futures can be overshadowed by despair,” said Archbishop Gallagher. “Society has the vital duty to affirm the sacredness of life and the God-given dignity of those temporarily unable to recognize it themselves. It must also provide them with mental healthcare and psychosocial support.”
“The Holy See stresses that assisting suicide in any way violates medical ethics and human dignity because the dignity of each person, no matter how weak or burdened by suffering, is the dignity of us all,” the prelate added. He also called for “universal health coverage, particularly through primary healthcare,” as “health is also a fundamental human right, and everyone has the right to enjoy the highest possible standard of physical and mental health.”
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