Pope Leo XVI addressed French bishops at Lourdes, urging them to root out sexual abuse and maintain vigilance. He delivered the message in a private meeting after holding a Mass before hundreds of thousands of worshippers. The pope said that the scourge of abuse must be confronted decisively and that the church must persevere along the path already begun. A day earlier, some 700,000 people gathered at Place de la Concorde in Paris where the pope spoke and later met President Emmanuel Macron. The visit marks his first official trip to France since his election and underscores the nation’s complex relationship with its Catholic heritage.
Pope Leo XVI Calls for Rooting Out Sexual Abuse in France
Pope Leo XVI Calls for Rooting Out Sexual Abuse in France
Pope Leo XVI urges French bishops to root out sexual abuse during a four‑day visit to Lourdes, France.
Pope Leo XVI addressed French bishops at Lourdes, calling sexual abuse a scourge that must be eradicated and demanding greater vigilance. He delivered the message during a private meeting, after a Mass that drew hundreds of thousands of worshippers. A day earlier, crowds of some 700,000 gathered at Place de la Concorde in Paris to hear the pope speak, and he met President Emmanuel Macron. This visit marks his first official trip to France since his election and highlights the country’s complex relationship with its Catholic heritage.
