Pope says 'scourge' of abuse must be rooted out as he visits Lourdes

Pope Leo has urged French bishops to vigorously address the "scourge" of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance during a private meeting at the Sanctuary of Our Holy Lady of Lourdes. This occurred on the third day of his four-day visit to France. A 2021 inquiry revealed that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused approximately 330,000 people as children in France over a period of 70 years.

The Pope delivered a sermon in front of thousands of attendees at Lourdes before meeting survivors of abuse. He told the bishops: "You have faced with determination the painful scourge of abuse of minors committed by members of the clergy or within an ecclesial context. It is important to persevere along the path you have begun, maintaining the greatest vigilance."

The meeting with senior church leaders was held confidentially, and the remarks were subsequently shared with reporters. Later, the Pope met with seven survivors of abuse by French clergy, thanking them for their testimony and reaffirming his commitment to preventing further harm from occurring. This event took place a day after an estimated 700,000 people gathered in Paris' Place de la Concorde to hear the Pope speak, with crowds cheering and waving as he rode in an open-topped popemobile.

The Pope also addressed young people, describing them as "today's Church" and praising their enthusiasm, energy, and commitment. Despite a decline in the number of regular worshippers in France from 35% of the population in 1960 to less than 5% today, there has been a recent surge in interest in religious tradition, with adult baptisms more than doubling in five years to reach 10,000 in 2025.

Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has a long history, dating back to the 1950s. The issue gained significant media attention in the 1980s in the US and Canada before similar stories emerged worldwide, including widespread historical abuse in Ireland and the UK.