Pope to meet with victims of clerical sex abuse during France trip
Sunday's meeting comes a day after the US pontiff visited Lourdes and prayed at the Grotto of Massabielle, where Catholic tradition holds that the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet with seven victims of clerical sexual abuse during his four-day visit to France. This marks the first official papal visit to the country in nearly two decades, coming as the Church grapples with the global sex abuse scandal. Pope Leo arrived in France to lead an open-air mass in Paris and visit the holy shrine of Lourdes.
Among the victims meeting the Pope is a former pupil of the Notre-Dame de Betharram boarding school, which faced accusations of widespread physical and sexual abuse. The Pope's visit comes at a time when France is preparing for a presidential election, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Edouard Philippe among the contenders.
The Pope also met with migrants at an association supporting refugees and stressed the fundamental role of women in building a civilisation of love.
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