Pope meets survivors of clergy abuse in Argentina as it reckons with legacy and ongoing cases
Pope Leo XIV met with clergy abuse survivors during his visit to Argentina to discuss healing and church accountability. While the meeting addressed historical grievances, some victim groups expressed frustration over being excluded, particularly those involved in ongoing investigations regarding Opus Dei.
Why it matters
The Vatican's handling of systemic abuse remains a critical issue for the Catholic Church's global reputation and its ongoing efforts to implement institutional reform.
Buenos Aires Pope Leo XIV met survivors of clergy abuse on Monday (November 9, 2026) during his visit to Argentina, a country that has been reckoning with the Catholic Church's legacy of sex abuse and cover-up, including in cases in which the Argentine Pope Francis intervened. The Vatican said Pope Leo spent about an hour meeting individually, and then as a group, with five victims of abuse by clergy and “church institutions” who were chosen by the local church. The meeting took place before Pope Leo left for an event at the Catholic University of Argentina. Pope Leo listened to their “painful stories and proposals to consolidate paths of healing in the church,” said a statement from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
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