Pope Leo has reaffirmed his commitment to preventing abuse by Catholic clergy during a meeting with seven survivors of abuse by French priests in Lourdes, the Vatican said on Sunday.
The Pope met the survivors during his four-day, three-city visit to France, where the Church continues to face scrutiny over its handling of clergy abuse.
According to a Vatican statement, Leo thanked the survivors for sharing their painful experiences and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the harm they suffered would not be repeated against others.
The visit comes as French Catholic leaders hope the Pope’s presence will help rebuild trust in the Church following a major 2021 report that documented widespread abuse of children by Catholic clergy and triggered widespread shock across France.
Leo’s meeting with the survivors forms part of his wider visit to France, where he is scheduled to visit three cities over four days.
