Pope Leo urges Church to face failings before meeting French abuse survivors
The pope said the Church must face past abuse and strengthen prevention efforts before a closed-door meeting with seven French survivors.
- On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV met with the French Episcopal Conference in Lourdes, France, asserting the Church possesses a "prophetic authority" and that its voice has "every right to be heard in the public square."
- Acknowledging the "painful scourge of abuse of minors committed by members of the clergy," the Pope commended French bishops for taking "courageous measures" to confront scandals while urging continued vigilance.
- Following these discussions, the Pope is scheduled to meet seven survivors of clergy abuse later on Sunday, as Local Church leaders work to repair standing after a 2021 report detailed 330,000 historical abuse cases.
- On Friday, the Pope reiterated Catholic opposition to assisted dying initiatives, arguing that welcoming sick pilgrims at Lourdes stands opposed to "current trends that seek to redefine the value of human life."
- Urging French Catholics to "reclaim their heritage of faith," Pope Leo emphasized that the Church's voice is needed to promote renewal and hope in society amid polarization and declining fraternity.
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241 Articles
"Repentance, penance, penance: In Lourdes, the Pope turns to his church. Associations of abuse victims demand that compensation be discussed.
Pope Leo XIV has called on the Catholic Church in France to accept responsibility for its failures and continue the fight against sexual abuse, during his visit to Lourdes. Celebrating an open-air mass at the Lourdes sanctuary on Sunday, where some 150,000 faithful gathered, the Pope focused on the need for the Church to confront the wounds caused by abuse and not to avoid responsibility for actions committed within it. "The Church must have the…
On the third day of his four-day visit to France, the Pope visited Lourdes, where he met with the bishops and also with sexually abused believers.
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