Pope Leo XIV to meet Church abuse victims during South America trip

Pope Leo XIV will meet with victims of abuse by clergy and other members of the Catholic Church during his upcoming trip to South America, the Vatican said Tuesday.

The meetings during Leo's 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru will "reflect the pope's desire to express his closeness to those who have suffered – and continue to suffer – as a result of this violence," it added.

The Vatican did not specify where or with whom the meetings would take place during the trip, which is scheduled for November 6 to 17. 

In meeting with the victims, the US-born pope desires to "work with them to develop paths toward healing ... and to ensure that the Church remains a safe and spiritually healthy environment," it said.

In April, the Vatican announced plans to compensate victims of a Peru-based Catholic movement, which was dissolved last year following revelations of rampant sexual and psychological abuse by some of its leaders.

Leo's predecessor Pope Francis ordered the closure of that ultra-conservative group, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (SCV), a week before his death in 2025, after a seven-year Vatican investigation.

Leo met several victims of clerical sex abuse last month during a trip to France and told them he was committed to preventing further harm.

A global sexual abuse scandal has rocked the Catholic Church in recent decades, and while Francis took numerous measures to tackle it, critics say victims still face retaliation from Church leaders for speaking out.

– TIMES/AFP