Pope Leo XIV yesterday met six survivors of abuse committed “by members of the clergy and the Church” in Spain. Source: EWTN News.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed the meeting, noting that it took place in the afternoon at the apostolic nunciature in Madrid on the third day of Pope Leo’s apostolic visit to the country.
The survivors, the Vatican stated, were “accompanied by Church personnel engaged in supporting and accompanying victims”.
The meeting lasted nearly an hour, during which the survivors shared their “painful personal experiences” with the Holy Father, and each person presented him with “proposals to make the Church’s response to such tragic cases more effective”.
The Pope, the Holy See Press Office noted, “listened with affection and attention and assured them of his closeness” as well as that of “the entire ecclesial community”.
In addition, he pledged his commitment to ensuring that the proposals offered by the survivors “serve as a foundation for future efforts, so that the Church may truly be a safe and spiritually healthy place where [those wounded] can find comfort and healing”.
Earlier that day, Pope Leo met with the Spanish bishops and urged them to respond to the “scourge” of abuse in the Church “with listening, truth, justice, reparation, and an ever-more-determined commitment to prevention and a culture of care.”
“Every wounded person must be able to find sincere listening, welcome, protection, and real paths to healing,” Pope Leo said.
FULL STORY
Pope Leo XIV meets with 6 abuse victims in Madrid (By David Ramos, EWTN News)
