Pope pledges action on clergy child abuse in meeting with French survivors
Summary
Pope Leo XIV met with survivors of child abuse by Catholic clergy in France and promised to continue efforts to reform the Church. During his visit, he acknowledged the harm caused by priests and spoke about the need for the Church to face its past and protect children.Key Facts
- Pope Leo XIV is on a four-day visit to France.
- He met privately with seven adult survivors of child abuse by clergy in Lourdes.
- The survivors felt listened to and noted the pope’s compassion and knowledge of their cases.
- The pope acknowledged the abuse as both individual and systemic within the Church.
- A 2021 inquiry found about 330,000 French children were abused by clergy or Church workers over 70 years.
- The pope addressed around 150,000 people at a Mass near Lourdes, urging the Church to face its past.
- Some survivors felt the pope’s words at the Mass were not a full apology but found hope in his private meetings.
- The pope also discussed the abuse scandals with French bishops during a closed meeting.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
