Pope Leo Meets Survivors of Catholic Church Sexual Abuse

By Linda Kisia 

Pope Leo XIV has held his first meeting with survivors of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The meeting took place on October 20, 2025, at the Vatican in the Apostolic Palace.

The Pope met six members of the international group Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA) — four survivors and two advocates. The meeting lasted about an hour.

The survivors said Pope Leo was kind and listened carefully to their stories. They told him they came as “bridge builders,” ready to work together for truth, justice, and healing.

During the meeting, the survivors asked the Pope to support a zero-tolerance policy for all clergy found guilty of sexual abuse. They want this rule to apply in every country so that abusive priests are removed from ministry permanently.

They also called for more transparency and accountability from church leaders, especially bishops who fail to act on abuse cases.

This was the first official meeting between Pope Leo XIV and an organized group of abuse survivors. Many see it as an important step toward healing and reform in the Catholic Church.

However, the survivors said more needs to be done to protect children and support victims worldwide. They hope the Vatican will follow up the meeting with clear actions and policies, not just promises.

“We felt heard,” one survivor said after the meeting. “But we also know there is still a long road ahead.”