Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Pope Leo Pledges Action After Meeting French Abuse Survivors
Pope Leo met seven people in France who said they were abused by Catholic Church workers.
The meeting lasted about two hours.
He listened to each survivor privately.
The Vatican said he heard ideas for making children safer in the Church.
Leo also said the Church must admit its past mistakes.
A 2021 report said about 330,000 children in France were abused over many decades.
Some survivors were not sure the meeting would quickly change anything.
They said the Church has been moving too slowly.
The pope also spoke about abuse with French bishops and told them to stay alert.
Pope Leo met privately with seven French abuse survivors during a two-hour meeting in Lourdes.
The Vatican said Leo heard proposals to improve Church safeguarding and reaffirmed his commitment to preventing further harm.
Earlier, Leo urged the Catholic Church to confront its past failings and heal its “deep wounds.”
The meeting followed a 2021 report that found about 330,000 French children were abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.
Some survivors expressed skepticism that the meeting would lead to rapid changes, saying progress has been too slow.
- Who
- Pope Leo, seven French abuse survivors, French bishops, and Catholic Church officials.
- What
- Leo met survivors, heard safeguarding proposals, and pledged continued action against clergy abuse.
- When
- Sunday, during Leo’s four-day visit to France; the article is dated September 27.
- Where
- Lourdes, France, during the pope’s three-city visit.
- Why
- To hear survivors’ experiences and proposals and strengthen the Church’s measures to prevent abuse from recurring.
Church Commitments
Survivor Skepticism
Prospects for change
Church Commitments
The Vatican said Pope Leo reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that abuse is not repeated, heard survivors’ proposals, and urged bishops to maintain vigilance.
Survivor Skepticism
Some survivors said they doubted the meeting would solve the issue quickly and argued that the Church has been moving too slowly.
Church response to past failures
Church Commitments
Leo said the Church must face its past and heal its deep wounds, while thanking French bishops for measures taken to confront abuse scandals.
Survivor Skepticism
Survivors and alleged victims connected to other Church abuse controversies continue to criticize the pace and effectiveness of institutional action.
- Meeting duration
- Two hours
- Survivors present
- Seven French abuse survivors
- Reported scale of abuse
- About 330,000 French children, according to a 2021 report
- Period covered by report
- Seven decades
- Papal visit
- A four-day visit to France
- Mass attendance in Lourdes
- An estimated 150,000 people
- Survivor reaction
- Some survivors remained skeptical that rapid changes would follow