By Philip Phi
Posted Aug 14, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Pope Leo XIV will meet with survivors of clergy abuse during his upcoming trip to France, which spans from September 25 to 28. This visit includes a significant meeting with survivors, underscoring the Vatican’s commitment to addressing the issue of clergy abuse. The meeting, whose details will be announced later, is part of a broader itinerary that includes visits to UNESCO headquarters, a meeting with French bishops in Lourdes, and an interreligious gathering in Metz.
The Vatican has emphasized that survivors will play a role in preparing for this meeting, reflecting a commitment to ensuring that their voices are heard and respected. This initiative follows Pope Leo’s recent engagement with six abuse survivors during his visit to Spain, where the Catholic Church has been confronting its history of abuse and cover-up.
In France, a 2021 report highlighted the alarming estimate that 330,000 children were sexually abused by church personnel over 70 years. In response to these revelations, Pope Leo has demonstrated a commitment to combating clergy sexual abuse by appointing French Bishop Thibault Verny to lead the Vatican’s child protection advisory commission.
This trip marks Pope Leo’s fourth international visit of the year, following his travels to Monaco, four African nations, Spain, and the Canary Islands. Additionally, he is scheduled to visit Latin America later this year, with plans to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. His visit to France begins in Paris, where he will meet with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.
In line with the biblical call to seek justice and care for the vulnerable, as highlighted in Micah 6:8, this meeting with survivors is a step toward acknowledging past wrongs and fostering healing. The Vatican’s actions reflect a commitment to truth, mercy, and accountability, aligning with the principles of justice and care for victims.
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Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
