Pope Meets Five Clerical Abuse Victims in Argentina

Pope Leo XIV has met with five victims of clerical abuse in Argentina, pledging to reinforce measures to protect people within the Catholic Church.

The meeting took place on Monday during the Pope’s South American tour, as the Church faces renewed criticism from an Argentine network of abuse survivors over what it described as a failure to honour its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy.

According to the Vatican, Leo met each survivor individually and listened to their experiences, the trauma they had endured and their recommendations for improving support and recovery efforts within the Church.

“The pope spoke with each of them individually, listening to their accounts, the painful experiences they had endured, and their suggestions for strengthening paths toward healing within the Church,” the Vatican said.

The five individuals had suffered abuse by members of the clergy or within Church institutions in Argentina.

However, the Vatican did not disclose details about when or where the incidents occurred.

The Holy See said the Pope also used the meeting to express solidarity with other survivors who could not attend, reaffirming his commitment to improving protection, welfare, reception and support systems across the Church.

“To them — and, through them, to other victims whom it was not possible to meet — the Pope conveyed his closeness and his commitment to strengthening measures for protection, well-being, welcome, and accompaniment within the Church,” the Vatican said.

The discussion lasted more than an hour.