Advocates Urge Pope to Dismiss Abusive Clergy Before Latin America Visit

In Lima, Peru, activists convened on Thursday to urge Pope Leo XIV to remove sexual abusers from the Catholic Church and demand justice amid a protracted scandal, just before his Latin American tour this week.

U.S.-based nonprofit Bishop Accountability held a press conference on Thursday, presenting a list of 77 clergy members publicly accused of sexually abusing minors in Peru.

On Friday, the 71‑year‑old pontiff will begin a tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru—his former homeland where he spent nearly two decades serving as a missionary, parish priest, and bishop.

The Vatican announced that Pope Leo will meet with abuse victims during the visit, though details of the arrangements have not been disclosed.

“At this juncture, the pope can most effectively address — or at least markedly improve — this lamentable situation by issuing a decree establishing zero tolerance for anyone found guilty of sexual abuse,” Anne Barrett Doyle, co‑director of the nonprofit, told reporters.

The Church should permanently remove not only those who committed abuse but also those who concealed it, Doyle added.

Jose Escardo, president of Peru’s Survivors’ Network of Abuse, echoed the call, emphasizing that such a policy is essential.

“These individuals must be turned over to the civil justice system and held accountable beyond the Church’s judgment,” Escardo added.

The 56‑year‑old is a victim of a conservative organization that Pope Francis ordered dissolved in 2025, following a seven‑year Vatican investigation.

Several senior church officials appear on Bishop Accountability’s list of alleged abusers, including Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani.

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