Pope Leo XIV meets seven survivors of child sexual abuse by French clergy in Lourdes as the Catholic Church faces renewed scrutiny over past misconduct. The meeting follows a public address where the pope urged the church to confront its 'deep wounds' and 'painful errors' without directly referencing the France abuse scandal affecting 330,000 children over seven decades.
The pope, arriving in Lourdes on Saturday, addressed a crowd of 150,000 and called for the church to 'humbly place itself under the Lord’s purifying gaze' to heal past infidelities. He will privately meet seven survivors after leading an open-air mass, with French bishops having earlier pledged to continue efforts against 'the painful scourge of abuse' committed against minors.
The visit marks the first by a pope to France in 18 years, amid ongoing efforts by the country’s Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation to seek reparations for victims. The Church has previously agreed to compensate survivors, but some survivors remain skeptical about the impact of the pope’s meeting, citing slow progress and the need for 'quick changes'
French bishops have acknowledged the 'courageous measures' taken against abuse, but the Vatican trial of Marko Rupnik, a mosaic artist accused of abusing over 20 women, highlights ongoing challenges. The shrine’s mosaics, which have been covered during the pope’s visit, underscore the complex legacy of the Catholic Church in France.