Pope Leo XIV will meet with the French abuse survivors as critics demand action

PARIS -- Pope Leo XIV, during his four-day visit to France beginning Friday, will meet privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel. The outcome will be closely watched by critics who say the church has not done enough to confront the problem.The meeting is scheduled for Sunday in Lourdes, one of Catholicism’s most important pilgrimage sites. Some survivors’ groups have criticized the decision to select individuals rather than representatives of established organizations.The seven survivors said in a joint statement last week that they do not claim to represent all survivors.“Engaging in dialogue does not mean endorsing,” they said. “Being received does not mean abandoning our demands.”“Each of us is taking part in this meeting in our own name, free to express our own views, convictions and choices," they added.The French Bishops’ Conference said the group includes people who were abused as minors or adults in Catholic schools, parishes and religious congregations.In recent years, the French Catholic Church has established an independent compensation system for survivors and acknowledged the institution’s history of abuse.A 2021 report esti...