Pope Leo to meet clergy abuse survivors during four-day trip to France

The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit France from September 25 to 28, a four-day trip during which he will meet with survivors of clergy abuse. Reports published before the trip described the visit as taking place “next month,” and the dates were given consistently across the coverage.

Several reports said the itinerary includes a stop at UNESCO headquarters, a meeting with French bishops in Lourdes, and an interreligious gathering in Metz. Those reports did not describe the content of these events beyond their locations and stated purposes.

A meeting with survivors of clergy abuse, set within a trip that one outlet described as emphasizing peace, places care for people harmed by church leaders at the center of the visit. Speaking for those who have been harmed and cannot easily be heard reflects the call to protect the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Pope Leo arrived in France on September 25 for the four-day visit, according to a report from Straits Times. A headline on that report, and a separate headline from Outlook India, said that artificial intelligence and clergy abuse were on the agenda, and one headline referred to apologies for clergy abuse. The body text of the reports available in this set did not confirm the content of any apology.