Pope Leo XIV met with survivors of clergy abuse on November 9, 2026, during his high-profile visit to Argentina. The meeting, which took place in Buenos Aires, serves as a significant moment for a country still grappling with a complex legacy of sexual abuse and allegations of institutional cover-ups involving senior figures within the Catholic Church.
According to the Vatican, the encounter lasted approximately one hour. The Pope held both individual discussions and a group session with five victims who had been selected by the local church. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that the pontiff listened to their accounts of trauma and their suggestions on how to foster paths of healing and reconciliation within the ecclesiastical institution.
The Pope expressed his commitment to strengthening measures for the protection and accompaniment of victims. While acknowledging that other survivor groups had requested meetings, the Vatican emphasized the Pope's desire to reinforce safety protocols across church institutions. This meeting occurred shortly before Pope Leo was scheduled to attend an event at the Catholic University of Argentina.
The visit has reignited public discourse regarding the Church's internal legal processes. Several advocacy groups have demanded greater transparency from the Vatican concerning priests who have been convicted in civil courts but whose status within internal Church proceedings remains unclear. Concerns persist regarding the historical handling of prominent cases, such as those of Julio Grassi and former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, both of whom faced criminal convictions that followed periods of intense public and internal scrutiny.
The case of Julio Grassi, a former figure known for his work with orphaned children, remains a point of contention. Serving a 15-year sentence for the abuse of a minor, Grassi had previously been the subject of a forensic study commissioned by the then-Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, which contested the validity of the criminal trial. Similarly, the case of former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, who was convicted of abusing two seminarians in 2022 and later granted parole in 2025, continues to trigger calls for the Church to take definitive action, including requests for his defrocking.
Critics point out that the Vatican typically waits for the exhaustion of all criminal appeals before initiating canonical trials. While the Church recommends that bishops implement precautionary measures—such as suspending priests from active ministry during investigations—survivors argue that these internal processes lack the necessary urgency and transparency. The Vatican maintains that this approach is intended to avoid prejudging outcomes of ongoing civil legal battles.
Despite the focus on historical grievances, other groups have voiced frustration at being excluded from the dialogue. Notably, a collective of 43 women who allege they were victims of human trafficking and forced labour within centres associated with the conservative group Opus Dei expressed a desire to meet with the Pope. Although the group's claims have led to a criminal investigation, no judicial summons have been issued to the members of Opus Dei implicated in the allegations, and the organization has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
As Pope Leo XIV continues his trip, which includes an upcoming visit to Peru, the issue of clerical abuse remains central to his agenda. By engaging with survivors, the pontiff is following a precedent set by his predecessors, Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, who also held meetings with victims during their international travels. For many in Argentina, these interactions represent a critical, if painful, step toward addressing the systemic failures that have long shadowed the Church's reputation in the region.
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