Arabic version: البابا ليو يدعو الكنيسة إلى مداواة جراح الإساءة

According to ABC News, Pope Leo urged the Catholic Church to acknowledge its failings and heal the “deep wounds” caused within its ranks before a planned closed-door meeting with seven French survivors of clergy abuse. Speaking to a crowd of more than 150,000 people in Lourdes, he said the Church must confront its past with humility.

“In order to heal the deep wounds, infidelities and painful errors that have occurred within [the Church], we must humbly place ourselves under the Lord’s purifying gaze,” the Pope said. The remarks did not directly refer to abuse scandals in France, where a 2021 report found that about 330,000 children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.

The Vatican also released details of an earlier closed-door meeting between Pope Leo and French bishops. He referred to “the painful scourge of abuse committed against minors by members of the clergy”, thanked bishops for measures taken after the revelations and urged them to strengthen safeguarding efforts. He called on them to continue their work with “the greatest vigilance”.

Some survivors voiced doubt that the meeting would quickly produce change. Michèle Le Reun-Gaigné, co-president of an association for survivors in western France, said she was sceptical that the Pope could resolve the issue immediately, adding that progress was moving slowly. Bishop Pierre-Antoine Bozo, spokesperson for French bishops, said the planned meeting showed the issue could not be ignored.

Lourdes is also linked to a Vatican controversy involving mosaics by Reverend Marko Rupnik, a religious artist accused of sexual abuse by more than 20 women. The mosaics at the shrine have been covered with large tarps for the Pope’s visit. Pope Leo’s France itinerary includes Paris, Lourdes and Metz, and he has also reiterated Catholic opposition to assisted dying initiatives during the trip.