Pope Leo XIV has called on French bishops to persevere in their efforts to combat clerical sex abuse, a significant challenge for the Catholic Church in France. During a private meeting with bishops in Lourdes, the Pope emphasized the need for vigilance in addressing this issue. The meeting took place on Sunday, as part of his four-day trip to France, a country with deep Catholic roots but also a secular society.
A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused approximately 330,000 minors in France over 70 years. This revelation has put pressure on the Church to take concrete steps to prevent abuse and support victims. Pope Leo XIV's visit to France is seen as an opportunity to address these concerns and demonstrate the Church's commitment to reform.
The Pope's trip to France marks the first official papal visit in nearly two decades. During his visit, he met with seven victims of clerical abuse, now adults, who shared their experiences with him. One of the victims, an 80-year-old man, was abused as a pupil at Notre-Dame de Betharram, a boarding school at the center of widespread accusations of physical and sexual abuse.
Lourdes, a pilgrimage town in southwestern France, is one of the most important Catholic holy sites in the world. The town receives around three million pilgrims each year, who come to visit the sanctuary where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a peasant girl in 1858. On Sunday morning, Pope Leo XIV blessed the faithful with holy water in a packed field near the sanctuary.
The Pope's visit to Lourdes also provided an opportunity for him to address broader issues affecting society. During a meeting with sick pilgrims, he rejected assisted dying, which was legalized in France in June for certain adults suffering from an incurable condition. The Pope argued that "what is legal is not necessarily moral" and that the Church must promote a culture of life.
Before arriving in Lourdes, Pope Leo XIV led a mass at Paris's Place de la Concorde, attended by enthusiastic worshippers and several presidential hopefuls, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Edouard Philippe. The Pope prayed to the Virgin Mary to "obtain for France wise and generous leaders... eager to serve the common good," a message seen as relevant ahead of the presidential election.
The Pope's visit to France also touched on the topic of artificial intelligence, with Pope Leo XIV warning against losing humanity as concern grows about AI. He emphasized the need for human control over AI, while industry giants pursue self-regulation amid warnings about potentially catastrophic risks. This message is part of a broader effort by the Church to engage with contemporary issues affecting society.
Key points
- Pope Leo XIV urges French bishops to persevere in combating clerical sex abuse during a four-day trip to France.
- The Pope meets with victims of clerical abuse and emphasizes the need for vigilance in addressing this issue.
- Pope Leo XIV rejects assisted dying, which was legalized in France in June, and argues that the Church must promote a culture of life.
