Pope Leo Engages Survivors in Groundbreaking Dialogue on Clerical Abuse

Pope Leo conducted an unprecedented meeting with survivors of clerical sexual abuse on Monday, marking a crucial moment for the Catholic Church, participants revealed. This follows recent criticism from the Vatican's child protection commission regarding the slow response of senior Church officials in addressing victims' concerns.

During the hour-long meeting, Pope Leo engaged with Ending Clergy Abuse, a global alliance of survivors, which described the discussion as a 'significant moment of dialogue.' For years, the Church's reputation has suffered worldwide due to abuse scandals and cover-ups, resulting in hefty financial settlements.

The Vatican commission's report, released last Thursday, accused Church leaders of failing to adequately communicate with victims about the handling of their abuse complaints. Canadian survivor Gemma Hickey, a meeting participant, praised Pope Leo for his attentive listening, noting their collective desire to foster truth, justice, and healing.