Pope Leo Calls for Unwavering Vigilance Against Clerical Abuse at Lourdes

Pope Leo has urged French bishops to eradicate the “scourge” of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, insisting they must maintain “the greatest vigilance” ahead of a private meeting with abuse survivors.

Speaking during a closed-door gathering at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France, the pontiff addressed the crisis on the third day of his four-day official visit to France.

A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused approximately 330,000 people as children in France over 70 years.

The Pope celebrated Mass before thousands of worshippers in Lourdes, followed by a scheduled private meeting with abuse survivors.

Before the service, he told the bishops: “You have faced with determination the painful scourge of abuse of minors committed by members of the clergy or within an ecclesial context. It is important to persevere along the path you have begun, maintaining the greatest vigilance.”

The gathering of senior church leaders was held behind closed doors, and the remarks were later released to reporters.

The Lourdes meeting came a day after an estimated 700,000 people gathered at Place de la Concorde in Paris to hear the pontiff speak. Huge crowds cheered and waved as he rode down the Champs-Élysées in his open-topped popemobile.

On Friday, the Pope also met French President Emmanuel Macron.

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