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Pope Leo XIV to Meet French Abuse Survivors Amid Calls for Concrete Action
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News18•22-09-2026, 12:00
Pope Leo XIV to Meet French Abuse Survivors Amid Calls for Concrete Action
- •Pope Leo XIV will privately meet with seven French sexual abuse survivors during his four-day visit to France, a meeting closely watched by critics demanding more church action.
- •The meeting, scheduled for Sunday in Lourdes, has drawn criticism from some survivor groups over the selection process, preferring representatives of established organizations.
- •The French Catholic Church has begun to address abuse, establishing a compensation system and acknowledging its history, following a 2021 report estimating 330,000 child abuse cases over seven decades.
- •Critics, including historian Charles Mercier, question the selection process, arguing that survivors were chosen by bishops, not victims, giving the impression the church wants to 'turn the page' without sufficient action.
- •Activists are demanding broader action, including investigations into alleged abusers like Jacques Delfosse, and urging President Emmanuel Macron to raise these issues with Pope Leo XIV.
Key Questions Answered
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet privately with seven abuse survivors in Lourdes, one of Catholicism's most important pilgrimage sites, during his four-day visit to France.
Critics and experts note that the participants were chosen by French bishops and church institutions rather than by independent survivor organizations, leaving some advocates feeling unrecognized and leading to concerns that church leaders want to quickly move past the crisis.
Activists recently protested near the home of former priest Jacques Delfosse, who was convicted in 2007 of raping two girls and dismissed from the clerical state in 2025 after fresh allegations prompted the Lille prosecutor's office to open a new investigation in August.
