Pope Leo XIV to meet Church abuse victims during South America trip

Pope Leo XIV plans to meet people harmed by clergy and other members of the Catholic Church during his South America trip. These meetings matter because they place survivors’ experiences at the center of the Church’s response to abuse. The Vatican said Leo wants to show closeness to people who continue to suffer.

The meetings will take place during his visits to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 to 17. The Vatican has not said exactly where the meetings will happen or who will attend. Leo also met several victims during a trip to France last month.

The pope wants to work with victims on paths toward healing. He also wants the Church to remain a safe and spiritually healthy environment. The meetings will occur amid continuing criticism that some Church leaders retaliate against people who speak publicly about abuse.

Abuse by clergy or other Church members involves harming people while holding a religious role or belonging to a religious institution. It can include sexual violence, physical violence, psychological abuse, exploitation, or misuse of spiritual authority. The article specifically mentions sexual and psychological abuse, but it does not provide a formal definition.

Victims are people who suffered this harm. They may have been abused by priests, religious leaders, or other Church members. The article refers to victims of clerical sex abuse and to people harmed by leaders of the Peru-based Sodalitium Christianae Vitae movement. It does not identify individual victims or describe their ages.

The issue matters because harm can continue through trauma, fear, or retaliation for speaking out. Leo plans to meet victims, express closeness, and work with them on healing. He also says the Church must remain safe and spiritually healthy, which links protection with accountability.

Pope Leo XIV’s South America trip is an 11-day tour. Its size matters because it gives him time to visit three countries while addressing a sensitive issue across the region. The Vatican announced that meetings with abuse victims will form part of the journey.

The countries are Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The schedule runs from November 6 to 17. The Vatican has not specified where the victim meetings will occur or exactly who will participate. It has only said they will happen during the tour.

Peru carries particular significance in the article’s background. The Vatican announced plans in April to compensate victims of a Peru-based Catholic movement. That group, Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, was dissolved last year after revelations of widespread sexual and psychological abuse by some leaders. Leo’s itinerary therefore combines regional travel with a continuing abuse response.

The Catholic Church’s abuse crisis became global because allegations involved Catholic institutions and leaders in multiple places, affecting victims across countries. The article says a global sexual abuse scandal has rocked the Church in recent decades. It also mentions psychological abuse, showing that the crisis extends beyond sexual crimes.

The article gives examples from Peru and France. A Peru-based movement faced revelations of rampant sexual and psychological abuse by some leaders. Leo met several victims of clerical sexual abuse in France last month. These cases illustrate why the issue reaches beyond one country or one institution.

The Church has been confronting the scandal for recent decades, but the article does not provide an exact number of years. It says Pope Francis took numerous measures, while critics argue that victims still face retaliation from Church leaders. Leo’s planned meetings signal continued attention to healing, prevention, and accountability.

Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, or SCV, was a Peru-based Catholic movement described in the article as ultra-conservative. It became a major example of institutional abuse because allegations involved both sexual and psychological harm. The Vatican ultimately dissolved the group rather than allowing it to continue in its existing form.

The decision followed revelations of rampant abuse by some of the movement’s leaders. Pope Francis ordered its closure a week before his death in 2025. The order came after a seven-year Vatican investigation into the group. The article does not describe the investigation’s procedures or name the leaders involved.

The Vatican announced plans in April to compensate victims of SCV. That step connects the group’s dissolution with a response to survivors’ losses. Leo’s planned meetings in South America may keep attention on healing and safety, although the article does not state that he will meet SCV victims specifically.

When Church leaders meet victims, they can acknowledge suffering directly and listen to people affected by abuse. Investigations can establish what happened and identify institutional failures. Compensation can provide material recognition of harm. Together, these actions may support healing and show that the Church accepts responsibility for protecting people.

The article gives a concrete example in Peru. After a seven-year Vatican investigation, Pope Francis ordered the closure of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. In April, the Vatican announced plans to compensate victims of the movement. The mechanism is a sequence of listening, fact-finding, institutional action, and financial redress.

These steps do not automatically resolve the crisis. Critics say victims still face retaliation from Church leaders for speaking out. Leo says he wants to work with victims on healing and ensure a safe, spiritually healthy Church. That points toward prevention, but the article does not measure the results of these efforts.

The Catholic Church is led by the pope, with the Vatican acting as its central administrative and governing authority. In established Church governance, the pope and Vatican offices can issue decisions affecting Catholic institutions, investigate serious allegations, and impose disciplinary measures. The article does not explain the full structure or name particular offices.

The article shows these powers through Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. A seven-year Vatican investigation followed revelations of abuse by some leaders. Pope Francis then ordered the movement’s closure in 2025, and the Vatican later announced plans to compensate victims. These actions demonstrate investigation, discipline, and redress.

Governance alone does not guarantee safety. Critics say victims still face retaliation from Church leaders. Leo says he wants to work with victims on healing and ensure that the Church remains safe and spiritually healthy. Preventing further abuse therefore requires both formal authority and sustained protection for people who report harm.