Pope Leo XIV Meets Seven Clergy Abuse Survivors in Lourdes, France

Pope Leo XIV began a visit to France on September 25, which reports describe as running through September 28 with stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz. Cyprus Mail reported that the agenda included artificial intelligence and apologies for clergy abuse. Before the trip, the visit was framed around the Church’s response to clergy sexual abuse.

Reports describe large crowds in Paris. France 24 wrote that the pope concluded his Paris visit by travelling to the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, and that he continued his visit by focusing on the clergy sexual abuse crisis. Thought Catalog reported that on September 27 he told an estimated 150,000 people at Lourdes that the Church must face the “deep wounds” it had caused.

Later that day, the pope met with survivors of clerical abuse in Lourdes. Reports differ on the number: Thought Catalog said he met seven French abuse survivors hours after his address, and Good Morning Network (GMA) and CityNews reported that he met with seven survivors. GMA reported that the meetings were private and that the victims were adults. Al Jazeera and The Jerusalem Post reported that the pope pledged or reaffirmed action on clergy abuse during the meeting. GMA reported that he promised the victims he would work to prevent further harm. Survivors who spoke afterward, as reported by CityNews and Yahoo News Canada, praised the meeting, saying he listened and was informed. Showing care for the vulnerable in this way reflects the concern of Psalm 82:3.

On the same day, Indian news outlet India Today reported that the pope condemned the legalization of medically assisted death as immoral, calling it “false compassion.” That statement was made separately from his remarks on clergy abuse and is reported in the same coverage as the survivor meeting.

Modern Ghana reported that the pope concluded his visit to Lourdes with a moment of prayer at the Grotto of Massabielle.