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Vatican Journey to France

Pope Leo XIV meets 7 abuse victims in Lourdes

First source report

Catholic IntelligenceUpdated 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV met with seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse for two hours of dialogue and prayer in Lourdes on September 27. The group included four men and three women who met with the pope both individually and as a collective.

During the meeting, the pope listened to the survivors' stories and expressed his commitment to ensuring such abuse does not happen again. The Vatican stated the pope acknowledged the pain and suffering of the victims, noting that their experiences were sometimes compounded by the silence or complicity of those who could have helped them.

Following the meeting, five survivors – Véronique Garnier, Olivier Mardi, Jérôme Guillement, Bertrand Virieux, and Jean-Marie Delbos – spoke at a press conference. They described the pope as showing deep empathy and acknowledging the systemic institutional failures that allowed abuse to persist.

Jérôme Guillement, who leads a survivors' panel for French Catholic schools, noted that the pope recognized the systemic nature of the crisis. Jean-Marie Delbos, 80, who was abused as a child at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school, said the encounter was an extraordinary moment that gave him confidence. Two other participants chose to remain anonymous.

AI-assisted briefing based on the sources below.

3 sources26 reports12 languages

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  2. Oct 31, 11:45 AM PT · 31 sources Pope Leo XIV votes by mail in US midterm elections
  3. Oct 31, 11:24 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Oleshky evacuation
  4. Oct 31, 11:15 AM PT Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  5. Oct 31, 10:37 AM PT · 15 sources Pope Leo XIV casts mail-in ballot in US midterm elections
  6. Oct 31, 10:35 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV receives 7,000 pilgrims from Villanova and Notre Dame universities
  7. Oct 31, 10:32 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  8. Oct 31, 10:17 AM PT · 8 sources Pope Leo XIV receives delegations from earthquake-affected municipalities in Central Italy
  9. Oct 31, 10:16 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV calls for renewed push to rebuild after earthquakes
  10. Oct 31, 9:51 AM PT · 54 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  11. Oct 31, 9:48 AM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV chooses theme for 101st World Mission Day
  12. Oct 31, 9:45 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Pontifical Academy for Life meeting
  13. Oct 31, 9:41 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV sets prayer intention for November 2026
  14. Oct 31, 9:07 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV meets Italian municipalities' representatives
  15. Oct 31, 8:38 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV selects theme for 101st World Mission Day
  16. Oct 31, 8:29 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication
  17. Oct 31, 8:26 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV warns against AI use in life-or-death decisions
  18. Oct 31, 8:23 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV: AI decisions on human life must never be delegated
  19. Oct 31, 8:15 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV's charity reaches 2,000 children in Ukraine
  20. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV approves safeguards for Holy See employees
  21. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 2 Synod undersecretaries
  22. Oct 31, 7:34 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV to hold candlelight procession for peace at St Mary Major on October 31
  23. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 2 sources Bishop Arturo Eduardo Fajardo expects Pope Leo XIV to revive faith in Uruguay
  24. Oct 31, 7:30 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  25. Oct 31, 6:56 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV presented with book on Eucharistic miracle

More coverage of Pope Leo XIV

More Catholic news

Earlier version, Tuesday 29 September

Pope Leo XIV meets abuse victims in Lourdes

Earlier version, Tuesday 29 September

Pope Leo XIV meets French abuse survivors in Lourdes

Earlier version, Monday 28 September

Pope Leo XIV meets abuse victims at Lourdes

How the coverage unfolded

  1. Sep 27, 11:30 AM Vatican News Italiano Il Papa alle vittime di abusi a Lourdes: mi impegno perché questo male non si ripeta
  2. Sep 27, 11:45 AM Vatican News Português Papa às vítimas de abusos: comprometo-me para que este mal não se repita
  3. Sep 27, 11:38 AM Vatican News Pope to abuse victims: I am committed to ensuring this evil is not repeated
  4. Sep 27, 12:13 PM Vatican News Slovenčina Pápež obetiam zneužívania v Lurdoch: Zasadím sa o to, aby sa toto zlo neopakovalo
  5. Sep 27, 12:22 PM Vatican News Polski Papież do skrzywdzonych wykorzystywaniem seksualnym: zobowiązuję się, aby to zło się nie powtórzyło
  6. Sep 27, 12:00 PM Vatican News Français Léon XIV aux victimes d'abus: «je m'engage pour que ce mal ne se reproduise plus»
  7. Sep 27, 6:48 AM ACI Digital Português Leão XIV se reúne com vítimas de abuso na França, em Lourdes
  8. Sep 27, 2:23 PM Canção Nova Português Papa às vítimas de abusos: comprometo-me para que este mal não se repita
  9. Sep 27, 2:35 PM Vatican News Svenska Påven till övergreppsoffer: ”Jag är fast besluten att se till att detta onda inte upprepas”
  10. Sep 27, 4:46 PM Vatican News Español Víctimas de abusos en Lourdes: El Papa nos escuchó profundamente
  11. Sep 26, 6:22 PM ZENIT News Agency Español León XIV dedica 2 horas a 7 víctimas de abuso en Francia: así fue el encuentro
  12. Sep 27, 10:38 AM Diocese of Hallam Pope to abuse victims: I am committed to ensuring this evil is not repeated
  13. Sep 27, 1:15 PM Vatican News Italiano Le vittime di abusi a Lourdes: "Dal Papa ascolto profondo. Era ferito dalle nostre storie"
  14. Sep 27, 1:17 PM Catholic World Report Pope Leo meets French abuse victims in Lourdes
  15. Sep 27, 8:43 PM ACI Prensa Español Víctimas de abusos en Francia destacan la “profundidad de la escucha” del Papa León XIV
  16. Sep 28, 2:10 AM Magyar Kurír Magyar XIV. Leó pápa Lourdes-ben találkozott a franciaországi egyházi visszaélések áldozataival
  17. Sep 28, 2:00 AM Vatican News 中文 教宗在露德对侵犯受害者：我致力于不让这恶事再次发生
  18. Sep 28, 1:30 AM Vatican News Українська Папа жертвам зловживань: я докладу зусиль, щоб це зло не повторилося
  19. Sep 28, 7:24 AM Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales Pope to abuse victims: I am committed to ensuring this evil is not repeated
  20. Sep 28, 11:54 PM ZENIT News Agency Français Léon XIV à Lourdes : « Veiller à ce que ce qu’ils ont enduré n’arrive pas à d’autres »
  21. Sep 28, 7:25 AM Catholic Review Moved by Pope Leo’s empathy, French abuse survivors urged action on ‘systemic’ failures
  22. Sep 28, 7:30 AM The Catholic Register Moved by Pope Leo's empathy, French abuse survivors urged action on 'systemic' failures
  23. Sep 28, 4:53 PM The Catholic Weekly Moved by Pope Leo’s empathy, French abuse survivors urged action on ‘systemic’ failures
  24. Sep 28, 11:09 PM Catholic World News French abuse survivors speak of Pope's empathy, frankness (OSV News)
  25. Sep 29, 1:30 AM KTO Français Trois personnes victimes témoignent après leur rencontre avec le Pape
  26. Sep 28, 7:40 AM Vatican News ትግርኛ ርእሰ ሊቃነ ጳጳሳት ንግዳያት ግህሰት፡ እዚ ክፍኣት እዚ ከይድገም ንምርግጋጽ ቃል እኣትው!

More on Pope Leo XIV

  1. Oct 31, 12:16 PM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints Bishop Francesco Cavina as Special Apostolic Visitator for Medjugorje
  2. Oct 31, 11:45 AM PT · 31 sources Pope Leo XIV votes by mail in US midterm elections
  3. Oct 31, 11:24 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Oleshky evacuation
  4. Oct 31, 11:15 AM PT Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  5. Oct 31, 10:37 AM PT · 15 sources Pope Leo XIV casts mail-in ballot in US midterm elections
  6. Oct 31, 10:35 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV receives 7,000 pilgrims from Villanova and Notre Dame universities
  7. Oct 31, 10:32 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  8. Oct 31, 10:17 AM PT · 8 sources Pope Leo XIV receives delegations from earthquake-affected municipalities in Central Italy
  9. Oct 31, 10:16 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV calls for renewed push to rebuild after earthquakes
  10. Oct 31, 9:51 AM PT · 54 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  11. Oct 31, 9:48 AM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV chooses theme for 101st World Mission Day
  12. Oct 31, 9:45 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Pontifical Academy for Life meeting
  13. Oct 31, 9:41 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV sets prayer intention for November 2026
  14. Oct 31, 9:07 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV meets Italian municipalities' representatives
  15. Oct 31, 8:38 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV selects theme for 101st World Mission Day
  16. Oct 31, 8:29 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication
  17. Oct 31, 8:26 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV warns against AI use in life-or-death decisions
  18. Oct 31, 8:23 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV: AI decisions on human life must never be delegated
  19. Oct 31, 8:15 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV's charity reaches 2,000 children in Ukraine
  20. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV approves safeguards for Holy See employees
  21. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 2 Synod undersecretaries
  22. Oct 31, 7:34 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV to hold candlelight procession for peace at St Mary Major on October 31
  23. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 2 sources Bishop Arturo Eduardo Fajardo expects Pope Leo XIV to revive faith in Uruguay
  24. Oct 31, 7:30 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  25. Oct 31, 6:56 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV presented with book on Eucharistic miracle

More coverage of Pope Leo XIV

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