Pope Leo XIV told Catholic bishops in Spain on Monday that the church must listen to abuse victims and offer them reparations.
The meeting with Catholic bishops is the latest stop in the pope's week-long tour of Spain. It is his first trip to a European Union member outside of Italy.
Leo on abuse: Spain's Catholic Church must commit to prevention and 'culture of care'
A report released by Spain's human rights ombudsman in 2023 found that the Spanish clergy had sexually abused 200,000 children. The CEE apologized for the abuse but disputed figures cited in that report.
"Faced with this scourge, the ecclesial community is called to respond with listening, truth, justice, reparation and an ever more determined commitment to prevention and a culture of care," Leo said in an address to the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE).
