Oppose sexual abuse by priests - Pope announces

Pope Leo XIV has urged Roman Catholic bishops in France to continue their fight against sexual abuse by priests without stopping. His Holiness made this statement during a private meeting in Lourdes, during his first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades, in the face of serious allegations recently leveled against the Church.

A 2021 investigation revealed that approximately 330,000 minors had been abused by Catholic priests and church members in France over a period of 70 years. Pope Leo, the first Pope elected from the United States, also took steps to personally meet and discuss with seven of those who had been sexually abused. Domitille Bardoul, a 26-year-old woman who attended the meeting, stated that the Pope's willingness to listen to her was a very valuable act. Additionally, a former student who had studied at the Notre Dame de Betharram boarding school and had been subjected to physical and sexual abuse also participated in this meeting.

Lourdes is one of the world's most important Catholic pilgrimage sites, attracting nearly three million pilgrims annually. During a service held near the sacred site, the Pope blessed the large crowd present by sprinkling holy water. After the events in Lourdes, an immense crowd of approximately eight hundred thousand people gathered along the Champs-Élysées in Paris to receive blessings from His Holiness as he passed. Amidst a changing political climate in France ahead of the upcoming presidential election, the Pope prayed to the Virgin Mary for wise and good leaders for the country. He also wished for France to be able to lead the way in protecting human rights and promoting world peace. Pope Leo XIV is the third Pope to visit Lourdes, following Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II.