Pope Leo XIV has reaffirmed his commitment to preventing abuse within the Catholic Church after meeting privately with seven survivors of clerical sexual abuse in Lourdes, France. The nearly two-hour meeting on Sunday gave survivors an opportunity to share their experiences, discuss the lasting impact of abuse and present proposals aimed at strengthening protections within the Church.
Pope Leo Meets Seven Abuse Survivors in Lourdes
The meeting took place at the residence of the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, where Pope Leo spoke individually with the survivors before meeting with the group together.
According to the Vatican, the pope listened to accounts of abuse and the suffering experienced by the survivors, as well as their concerns about how the Church can prevent similar cases in the future.
The group included four men and three women. Some had experienced abuse in parishes, boarding schools, religious communities or other Church settings. Two participants chose to remain anonymous.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Pope Leo thanked the survivors for sharing their painful experiences and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that others do not suffer similar harm.
Survivors Describe the Meeting as Emotional
Several survivors later said they felt that the pope listened carefully to their stories and showed empathy toward their experiences.
The survivors also presented concrete proposals concerning safeguarding and the Church’s response to abuse. While they welcomed the opportunity to speak directly with the pope, they emphasized that further action would be necessary.
The meeting came during Pope Leo’s four-day visit to France, where the issue of clerical abuse remains a major concern for the Catholic Church.
Earlier in the day, Leo addressed French bishops and urged them to remain highly vigilant while continuing efforts focused on truth, justice, reparation and prevention.
French Church Faces Long-Standing Abuse Crisis
The pope’s meeting with survivors comes against the backdrop of a major 2021 investigation into sexual abuse within the French Catholic Church.
The independent inquiry reported that more than 200,000 minors were victims of abuse by priests and members of religious orders between 1950 and 2020. The findings triggered widespread shock in France and intensified calls for accountability and stronger safeguards.
During his visit to Lourdes, Pope Leo also called on the Church to confront its past failures and work toward healing. Church leaders in France have introduced measures related to victim support, compensation and abuse prevention, while survivors and advocacy groups continue to seek additional reforms.
The Lourdes meeting represents another direct engagement by the pope with survivors as the Catholic Church continues efforts to address the long-term consequences of clergy abuse and strengthen protections for children and vulnerable people.
