Pope Leo XIV Urges French Church to Continue Fight Against Abuse
During a visit to Lourdes, the pontiff thanked bishops for measures taken and called for continued vigilance five years after a landmark report.
KEY POINTS
- Pope Leo XIV met French bishops in Lourdes on Sept. 27, 2026.
- He praised "courageous measures" taken against child sexual abuse.
- He urged continued vigilance and persistence on the current path.
- A 2021 report estimated 330,000 minor victims in the French Church since 1950.
- The Pope plans a private meeting with seven victims later Sunday.
Pope Leo XIV met with French bishops in Lourdes on Sunday, thanking them for "courageous measures" adopted to address sexual violence against minors. He urged the Church to continue its current path while maintaining maximum vigilance.
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, head of the French episcopate, echoed the call for a continued fight, emphasizing a shift in perspective toward the viewpoint of victims. The meeting comes five years after the Sauvé report estimated 330,000 minor victims within the Church since 1950.
“It is appropriate to continue on the path undertaken while maintaining the greatest vigilance.”
The pontiff paused before a statue symbolizing victims' suffering before the closed-door session. He is scheduled to meet privately with seven abuse survivors Sunday afternoon. In a giant Mass homily, he spoke of healing "deep wounds" and "painful wanderings" without explicitly naming the abuse crisis.
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