Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain will include meetings with victims of clergy abuse. This critical dialogue indicates a larger journey towards reckoning with the past and fostering a more compassionate Church.
Pope Leo XIV called for justice for victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during a trip to Spain, where he plans to meet with those who have suffered.
“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 during a meeting on Monday with bishops in Madrid.
The pope stressed that these victims “have been wounded precisely by those who were meant to care for them, including members of the clergy.”
The speech comes during the pope’s week-long visit to Spain. The trip is partly being used to address the ongoing fallout from clergy abuse in the country as people seek compensation. The pope will meet privately with victims during his travels, the Holy See said, without disclosing details.
