Pope Leo XIV meets abuse survivors in Peru and urges Church to make amends
During his return to Peru, Pope Leo XIV heard from six clerical abuse survivors and called for stronger protection measures and reparations.
By John Ferrari ·
Pope Leo XIV met six survivors of clerical abuse in Peru on Thursday, November 12, as he called on the Catholic Church to make amends for the suffering inflicted on victims. Those attending included people linked to Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a Catholic lay society dissolved by his predecessor, Francis, in 2025.
The meeting lasted more than an hour, with Leo hearing each survivor separately, according to the Vatican. It said he listened to their accounts of suffering and thanked them for sharing their experiences. Their discussions addressed the need to change attitudes through listening to victims, establishing the truth, supporting recovery and creating environments that protect people from abuse.
Founded in the 1970s, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae expanded across Latin America before years of allegations involving sexual, physical and psychological abuse, along with corruption, led to its closure. Before becoming pope, Robert Francis Prevost was the bishop assigned to hear testimony from its victims. Survivors said he supported their claims. In April 2026, the Vatican announced plans for a channel in Lima to hear from victims and said assets seized from the movement would be used to compensate them.
Speaking to bishops earlier on Thursday, the 71-year-old pontiff acknowledged the pain caused by clerical abuse and urged the Church to develop stronger prevention and protection practices. Survivor Renzo Orbegozo, 50, told AFP that victims wanted “comprehensive reparation,” including psychological care, medical treatment and help returning to social life. Ahead of the pope's South American tour, the US-based nonprofit Bishop Accountability presented a list in Lima of 77 Peruvian clergy members it said had faced public accusations of abusing minors. Co-director Anne Barrett Doyle urged Leo to adopt “zero tolerance” toward abusers.
Leo also addressed violence against women and inequality within households during a speech to about 40,000 people. He condemned attitudes associated with machismo and rejected unequal domestic responsibilities or the subordination of either spouse. His remarks formed part of a visit in which the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics has addressed sensitive social and political issues.
Crowds welcomed the Chicago-born pope along the streets, chanting his name as he passed in the popemobile. Some children wore outfits resembling those of popes or bishops. Later, at a prayer vigil in Lima's national stadium attended by roughly 60,000 young people, Leo walked among participants to greet them while thousands raised illuminated phones.
The visit carries personal significance for Leo, who spent nearly two decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop and calls the country his homeland. His work took him to poor and isolated northern communities, some of which he reached on horseback. Addressing clergy, he likened their mission to the demanding climb toward Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail, stressing the importance of making the journey together.
His tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru comes weeks after surgery for lung cancer. The six-day Peru itinerary includes travel from the Amazon to the Andes, with a stop in Cuzco at more than 3,400 metres above sea level that will test his recovery. He is also scheduled to return to Chiclayo, where he served as bishop for a decade.
