Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro to lead the Pontifical Academy for Life has deepened concerns that the Vatican’s premier pro-life institution continues its troubling drift away from traditional Catholic teachings on contraception and end-of-life issues.
Key Takeaways
- Pope Leo XIV appointed Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia’s close collaborator, as the new president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, disappointing Catholics who hoped for a return to traditional pro-life advocacy.
- Pegoraro has made controversial statements suggesting contraception might be permissible in certain medical situations and that assisted suicide could be a “lesser evil” than euthanasia.
- Under Paglia’s leadership, the Academy removed its pro-life pledge requirement for members and embraced a more “dialogue-focused” approach that many conservative Catholics view as a compromise of core Church teachings.
- Pegoraro’s appointment signals continuity with Paglia’s controversial vision rather than a return to the Academy’s original mission established by Pope John Paul II in 1994.
- The future direction of both the Pontifical Academy for Life and the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family remains uncertain under leadership that appears to prioritize “dialogue” over clear moral teaching.
A Disappointing Succession
When Pope Leo XIV removed Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia from his leadership positions at the Pontifical Academy for Life and the John Paul II Institute, many pro-life Catholics hoped for a restoration of these institutions’ original missions. Instead, the appointment of Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro as the Academy’s new president has dashed these hopes. Pegoraro, who previously served as the Academy’s chancellor since 2011, has been a close collaborator with Paglia and appears poised to continue the controversial direction established under his predecessor’s leadership.
Pegoraro, an Italian priest, bioethicist, and physician with credentials in moral theology and bioethics, has expressed views that have alarmed traditional Catholics. In 2022, he suggested that contraception might be permissible “in the case of a conflict between the need to avoid pregnancy for medical reasons and the preservation of a couple’s sex life,” a position that appears to contradict the Church’s longstanding prohibition against artificial contraception articulated in Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae.
Controversial Statements on Life Issues
Perhaps most concerning to pro-life advocates are Pegoraro’s statements regarding assisted suicide. While acknowledging the Church’s condemnation of both assisted suicide and euthanasia, Pegoraro has suggested that assisted suicide might be the lesser of two evils. This stance has raised significant concerns about his commitment to upholding the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life from conception until natural death.
“And of the two possibilities, assisted suicide is the one that most restricts abuses because it would be accompanied by four strict conditions: the person asking for help must be conscious and able to express it freely, have an irreversible illness, experience unbearable suffering and depend on life-sustaining treatment such as a respirator,” said Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro.
In his first statements after his appointment, Pegoraro signaled his intention to continue along the path established during Paglia’s tenure. He emphasized that his work at the Academy “has been both fascinating and stimulating, in line with the operational and thematic guidelines of the late Pope Francis.” This reference to continuing Francis’s approach rather than returning to John Paul II’s founding vision has further concerned traditional Catholics.
A Troubled Legacy
Archbishop Paglia’s tenure at the Pontifical Academy for Life was marked by numerous controversies that many Catholics saw as undermining the institution’s pro-life mission. Perhaps most notoriously, Paglia commissioned a homoerotic mural for his cathedral church that depicted him embraced by a naked man. The artist who created this mural, Ricardo Cinalli, later revealed the extent of Paglia’s involvement in the project’s details.
“Working with him was humanly and professionally fantastic. There was no detail that was done freely, at random. Everything was analyzed. Everything was discussed. They never allowed me to work on my own,” said Ricardo Cinalli.
Under Paglia’s leadership, the Academy underwent significant structural changes that many saw as weakening its pro-life commitment. Most notably, the requirement that members sign a declaration defending the sanctity of human life was eliminated. The Academy also began publishing materials that appeared to question established Church teaching on contraception, homosexuality, and end-of-life issues. Throughout these controversies, Pegoraro served as Paglia’s chancellor without publicly objecting to these changes.
An Uncertain Future
Looking ahead, Pegoraro has outlined his priorities for the Academy’s work, focusing on “Global Bioethics, dialogue with scientific disciplines through the transdisciplinary approach promoted by Pope Francis, artificial intelligence and biotechnologies, and the promotion of respect for and the dignity of human life in all its stages.” While this final point references the protection of human life, the emphasis on dialogue and interdisciplinary study has led many to question whether the Academy will continue to provide clear moral guidance on life issues.
“I particularly highlight the themes of Global Bioethics, dialogue with scientific disciplines through the transdisciplinary approach promoted by Pope Francis, artificial intelligence and biotechnologies, and the promotion of respect for and the dignity of human life in all its stages,” said Monsignor Renzo Pegoraro.
Many faithful Catholics are now calling on Pope Leo XIV to take further action to restore these vital institutions to their original missions. The Pontifical Academy for Life was established by Pope John Paul II in 1994 specifically to defend and promote human life and dignity against the growing threats of abortion, euthanasia, and other attacks on human dignity. Similarly, the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family was founded to advance the Church’s teachings on marriage, family, and human sexuality. Under current leadership, many fear these institutions will continue to drift from their founding purposes.
