Pope Leo XIV met six victims of clerical abuse in Peru and said the Catholic Church must make amends and strengthen protections against abuse.
By Hermes Vector
Pope Leo XIV met six victims of clerical abuse in Peru on Thursday, including people linked to the disbanded Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, the Vatican said. The US-born pontiff spent over an hour with the victims, meeting "each person individually, listening to their stories of suffering and their pain," and "thanked them for their invaluable testimony."
Together, "they reflected on how to foster a shift in mindset – by listening to victims, seeking the truth, pursuing paths towards healing, and committing to the creation of safe environments," the Vatican said. Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a lay society founded in the 1970s that was widespread in Latin America, was shut down in 2025 by Leo's predecessor Francis after years of allegations of sexual, physical and psychological abuse, as well as corruption. Before he was elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost was the bishop designated to hear from SCV victims, who said he was supportive of their claims.
In an address to bishops earlier Thursday, Leo described the "pain" caused by Catholic clerical abuse and said the Church must make "amends" to victims and foster "a culture of prevention and protection." Clerical abuse, a global scourge, was "a reality that has caused us so much pain," the 71-year-old said. In April 2026, the Vatican announced plans to set up a "listening channel" in Lima for victims, and use assets seized from the lay movement to compensate them. Renzo Orbegozo, a 50-year-old victim, told AFP they were seeking "comprehensive reparation." "Many require psychological and medical support, as well as social reintegration – all of which, ultimately, translates into financial assistance," he said.
The head of the 1.4 billion Catholics has not shied away from tackling sensitive political and social topics during his three-nation Latin American tour. At a speech later to some 40,000 people on the challenges facing Peruvians, the pontiff slammed "machismo" attitudes and said violence against women was "a reality that wounds all of humanity." There was no excuse for "an unequal sharing of domestic responsibilities or the subordination of one spouse to the other," he said. The intense trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru comes just weeks after the pope had surgery for lung cancer, but he shows no sign of flagging. He will visit Cuzco, at more than 3,400 metres (11,000 feet) elevation, which will test his recovery from lung surgery.
The meeting marks the pope's direct engagement with abuse survivors in Peru, where he served for nearly two decades as a missionary and bishop, and signals his emphasis on listening to victims and creating safe environments within the Catholic Church.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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