Pope Leo XIV Meets Clerical Abuse Victims in France, Pledges to Prevent Further Harm

In a poignant moment during his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV met privately with seven adult victims of clerical sex abuse, affirming his commitment to preventing further harm. This visit marked the first official papal visit to the secular nation with deep Catholic roots in nearly two decades. The pontiff, who has led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, spent time with individuals like Jean-Marie Delbos, who recounted being abused at the Notre-Dame de Betharram boarding school. Delbos described the encounter as extraordinary, particularly when the pope embraced him, a gesture that left a profound impact on someone who had lost faith due to the abuse.

The meeting underscored the pope’s dedication to addressing the systemic issues within the Church that have allowed such abuses to occur. Jerome Guillement, an abuse survivor, noted that while the pope acknowledged perpetrators as individuals, he recognized the systemic nature of the abuse within the institution. This aligns with the findings of a 2021 inquiry, which revealed that approximately 330,000 minors in France were abused by clergy or lay members of the Church over 70 years.

Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude to the victims for sharing their painful testimonies and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that such harm is not repeated. In a separate private meeting with bishops, he urged them to continue combating sexual and physical violence, emphasizing the importance of addressing this “painful scourge.”

The visit took place in Lourdes, a significant Catholic pilgrimage site known for its association with the Virgin Mary’s apparition to a peasant girl in 1858. The town, which attracts around three million pilgrims annually, is renowned for its miraculous healings. During the visit, Pope Leo XIV blessed the faithful with holy water, a moment of spiritual significance for many, including Jerome Vion, who praised the pope’s attention to abuse victims. Domitille Bardoul, another attendee, appreciated the pope’s efforts to listen to victims, viewing it as a step toward acknowledging and preventing future abuses. This commitment to truth, mercy, and justice reflects the biblical call to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

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