Pope Leo urges Spanish bishops to provide reparations to abuse survivors
The pope met six survivors and backed Spain’s reparations process, as advocates said the Church still must do more for victims.
- On Monday, Pope Leo XIV visited Madrid, where associations representing victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy complained about their exclusion from a private meeting reportedly scheduled at the Vatican embassy.
- Abuse remains "still an open wound" for the Church, as Spain's national ombudsman reported in 2023 that more than 200,000 minors may have suffered assaults by Catholic clergy since 1940.
- Infancia Robada spokesman Juan Cuatrecasas criticized the meeting as "strictly controlled," warning that the Pope would only encounter a "completely skewed reality" rather than listening to a representative group of victims.
- King Felipe VI hailed the Pope's "clarity and firmness" during the welcome, while the Vatican maintained meeting details remain private out of "respect for the victims."
- Ahead of a trip to the Canary Islands, the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics called for "patient dialogue" on migration, a stance that has drawn harsh criticism from President Donald Trump.
110 Articles
110 Articles
Madrid, 8 Jun (EFE).- The Pope met this Monday with six victims of sexual abuse for an hour in the Nunciature of Madrid, listened to them "with affection and attention" and assured them "their closeness and that of the entire ecclesial community." According to the press office of the Vatican, Leon XIV has conveyed to them his commitment "that the proposals received will serve as a basis for future efforts and that the Church can truly be a safe …
During his trip to Spain, Pope Leo XIV met with victims of sexualized violence, and members of the Catholic clergy also injured those who should have protected them. By Hans-Günter Kellner.
Pope Leo Condemns the Church's 'Scourge'
Pope Leo XIV used a visit to Spain on Monday to bluntly confront the Catholic Church's long-running abuse crisis, condemning sexual violence by clergy as a "scourge" and urging a shift toward what he called a "culture of care." Speaking to Spanish bishops in Madrid, the first US-born pope said...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
