Pope Leo XIV meets French abuse survivors in Lourdes

Pope Leo XIV met with seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Lourdes on Sept. 27, meeting with them both individually and as a group. The group included four men and three women. The Vatican stated the pope expressed closeness to the survivors and to everyone suffering from the wounds of abuse.

During an invitation-only press conference following the meeting, five participants – Véronique Garnier, Olivier Mardi, Jérôme Guillement, Bertrand Virieux, and Jean-Marie Delbos – shared their reactions to the encounter. Two other participants did not name themselves. Delbos, 80, who was abused as a child at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school, said the pope embraced him during their meeting.

Guillement, who leads a survivors' panel for French Catholic schools, told reporters that the pope acknowledged the systemic nature of the crisis. He urged the pope to prioritize prevention through cultural change rather than through training modules or procedures.