Pope Leo XIV will meet privately with victims of clerical sexual abuse during his official visit to France in September, the Vatican said Friday as it released details of his itinerary.
The Vatican did not provide further information about the meeting, but said the encounter would form part of the pope’s efforts to address the Catholic Church’s global sexual abuse scandal and advance reforms.
“During his upcoming Apostolic Journey to France, Pope Leo XIV will meet privately with individuals who have been victims of abuse within the Church,” the Holy See said.
A 2021 inquiry found that about 330,000 people in France had been abused as minors by clergy or lay members of the Catholic Church over a period spanning seven decades.
In May, a group representing abuse survivors from a Catholic school near Lourdes appealed for an audience with Leo during his visit. The group said it wanted to present proposals aimed at strengthening the Church’s response to abuse.
During a previous meeting with sexual abuse survivors in Spain, Leo pledged that the Church would make additional efforts to bring about change.
The pope’s visit also comes as the Catholic Church continues to face divisions over social, political, ethical and theological issues. Leo has sought to bridge differences between progressive and traditionalist factions within the Church.
Beginning on September 25, the first pope from the United States, elected in May 2025, will visit Paris, where he is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and visit UNESCO headquarters.
He will also celebrate Vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral and hold a vigil with young people at the Stade de France.
On September 26, Leo will celebrate Mass at Place de la Concorde, where hundreds of thousands of worshippers are expected to gather.
The pope will then travel to Lourdes, a major Christian pilgrimage site, for an open-air Mass on September 27. His visit will conclude with Mass at the cathedral in Metz on September 28.
The France trip, following Leo’s visit to Spain, highlights his focus on engaging with traditionally Catholic but increasingly secular European countries, which received less attention during the papacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
