Pope Leo XIV described clerical sexual abuse as a “painful scourge” during a landmark visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday, balancing a historic private meeting with survivors against a sharp critique of France’s recent social legislation. The visit, part of a four-day apostolic journey to France, marks a pivotal moment for the first American-born pontiff as he addresses the deep-seated trauma within the French Church.
On September 27, 2026, the Pope held a private, two-hour audience with seven adult survivors—four men and three women—at the bishop’s residence in Lourdes. Among those present was Jean-Marie Delbos, who was abused at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school. Delbos characterized the session as an “extraordinary moment,” though survivor organizations have continued to call for more systemic changes and greater legal cooperation from the Vatican.
The meeting occurred against the backdrop of a 2021 independent inquiry which estimated that 330,000 children were victims of abuse by clergy or lay members of the French Church over a 70-year period. In remarks to French bishops, the Pope reaffirmed his commitment to reform, acknowledging the lasting damage caused by the “scourge” and praising the “courageous” steps taken by local leadership to confront the crisis since the 2021 report was published. According to reporting on the encounter, the Pope pledged continued action, though some advocates remain skeptical of the pace of reform.
Clashes Over Assisted Dying
Beyond the abuse crisis, Pope Leo XIV used his presence in France to challenge the country’s modern legislative direction. During an open-air Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, attended by an estimated 150,000 pilgrims, the Pope addressed France’s formal adoption of a new assisted-dying bill. He described the practice as “false compassion,” urging the faithful to reject “disposable” views of human life.
The Holy See has maintained a firm stance against the legislation, which has sparked intense debate in the French Parliament. The Pope’s direct intervention in Lourdes highlights the tension between the Vatican’s traditional moral teachings and the secular shifts in one of Europe’s most historically Catholic nations.
The Pope’s four-day journey, which began on September 25 with stops in Paris, is concluding today, September 28, 2026, in the northeastern city of Metz. This final stop is expected to focus on European unity and the role of the Church in a diversifying society. As the first U.S.-born Pope, Leo XIV has used this trip to signal a more direct, pragmatic approach to both the Church’s internal failings and its external political challenges.
