Pope Addresses Clergy Sexual Abuse at French Sanctuary, Stressing Need to "Acknowledge Mistakes"

On the 27th (local time), the third day of his visit to France, Pope Leo XIV addressed the issue of sexual abuse by clergy at the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes in southwestern France, emphasizing that "the Church must acknowledge its mistakes."

According to AP, AFP, and DPA news agencies, the Pope arrived in Lourdes late on the 26th and visited the Grotto of Massabielle, where he drank water from the spring.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a holy site where 72 miracles have been officially recognized by the Church following the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1858.

Meeting with bishops on the 27th, the Pope said, "You have resolutely confronted the painful situations of the abuse of minors committed by clergy or within the Church," adding, "It is important to continue along the path you have begun with special care and patience."

Furthermore, during a Mass held in the presence of 150,000 the faithful, he emphasized, "To heal the deep wounds, betrayal of trust, and painful wrongs that have occurred within [the Church], we must place ourselves humbly under the gaze of God," and noted, "Acknowledging our mistakes is necessary for our spiritual growth."

According to a 2021 report, an estimated 330,000 minors suffered abuse over a period of some 70 years in France.

Lourdes is linked to the clerical sexual abuse scandal, which is considered one of the modern Church's biggest shames.

At the entrance of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in the Lourdes sanctuary, there are works by Father Marko Rupnik, a Slovenian mosaic artist.

After allegations arose that Rupnik had sexually assaulted at least 20 women within the community, including nuns, in the 1990s, the Diocese of Lourdes covered the artworks with aluminum panels to prevent secondary victimization of the victims.

Rupnik is awaiting trial in a Vatican court.

In addition, allegations that physical and sexual abuse was rampant over decades at Notre-Dame de Betharram, a Catholic boarding school in a city adjacent to Lourdes, have also severely shaken trust in the Church.

The Pope is scheduled to meet directly with seven victims of clergy abuse in Lourdes this afternoon.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.