Pope Leo Condemns Clergy Sexual Abuse, Calls for Justice and Reparations

Pope Leo XIV on Monday sharply condemned sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, describing it as a “scourge” that has deeply wounded victims and damaged trust in religious institutions. Speaking to Spanish bishops during his visit to Spain, the pontiff called for greater accountability, reparations and a stronger commitment to preventing future abuse.

The pope made the remarks ahead of a private meeting with clergy abuse survivors in Madrid, part of a broader effort to address one of the Church’s most persistent crises. Leo said victims deserve to be heard and supported, stressing that the Church must respond with “listening, truth, justice, reparation and an ever more determined commitment to prevention.”

Pope calls for a “culture of care”

Addressing Spanish bishops, Leo said some of the deepest wounds within the Church had been inflicted by members of the clergy who were entrusted with caring for others. He urged Church leaders to create what he described as a “culture of care,” ensuring that survivors receive protection, support and meaningful paths toward healing.

The pope also emphasized that every victim should be able to find sincere listening and concrete assistance from Church institutions, signaling that abuse prevention and survivor support would remain priorities during his papacy.

Meeting with survivors

Later in the day, Leo met privately with six survivors of clergy sexual abuse at the Vatican embassy in Madrid. According to the Vatican, the meeting lasted about an hour and focused on proposals for improving how the Catholic Church responds to abuse cases. Survivors presented recommendations aimed at strengthening accountability and victim support mechanisms.

The Vatican said the pope listened attentively, expressed solidarity with survivors and reaffirmed his commitment to reforms centered on victims.

Criticism from advocacy groups

Despite the meeting, some survivor organizations criticized the Vatican for limiting participation to a small group of victims. Several advocacy groups argued that many survivors were excluded and called for broader reforms, including expanded compensation programs, long-term psychological support and stronger disciplinary measures against abusive clergy.

Representatives of the Spanish group “Stolen Childhood” said they were disappointed not to be included in the discussions and vowed to continue pressing the Vatican for wider engagement with survivors.

Abuse crisis remains a major challenge

The pope’s comments come as Spain continues to grapple with revelations of historical abuse within the Catholic Church. A major report published by Spain’s ombudsman in 2023 estimated that hundreds of thousands of people may have experienced abuse linked to Church institutions over several decades, though Church officials have disputed some of the findings.

Leo has previously met with abuse survivors and advocacy groups and has repeatedly described the scandal as an “open wound” for the Church. His latest remarks signal an effort to place victim support and prevention at the center of the Church’s response as pressure grows for deeper reforms worldwide.