Pope Leo XIV says there should be no tolerance for abuse of any kind in Catholic Church
Pope Leo XIV has said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse – sexual, spiritual or abuse of authority -- and called for 'transparent processes' to create a culture of prevention across the church.
Leo made his first public comments about the clergy sex abuse scandal in a written message to a Peruvian journalist who documented a particularly egregious case of abuse and financial corruption in a Peruvian-based Catholic movement, the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.
The message was read out loud on Friday night in Lima during a performance of a play based on the Sodalitium scandal and the work of the journalist, Paola Ugaz.
'It is urgent to root in the whole church a culture of prevention that does not tolerate any form of abuse - neither of power or authority, nor abuse of conscience, spiritual or sexual abuse,' Leo said in the message. 'This culture will only be authentic if it is born of active vigilance, of transparent processes and sincere listening to those who have been hurt. For this, we need journalists.'
Leo is well aware of the Sodalitium scandal, since he spent two decades as a missionary priest and bishop in Peru, where the group was founded in 1971. The then-Bishop Robert Prevost was responsible for listening to the Sodalitium's victims as the Peruvian bishops' point-person for abuse victims and helped some reach financial settlements with the organization.
After Pope Francis brought him to the Vatican in 2023, Prevost helped dismantle the group entirely by overseeing the resignation of a powerful Sodalitium bishop. The Sodalitium was officially suppressed earlier this year, right before Francis died.
Now as pope, Leo has to oversee the dismantling of the Soldalitium and its sizeable assets. The Vatican envoy on the ground handling the job, Monsignor Jordi Bertomeu, read out Leo's message on Friday night, appearing alongside Ugaz on stage.
In the message, Leo also praised journalists for their courage in holding the powerful to account, demanded public authorities protect them and said a free press is an 'common good that cannot be renounced.'
Ugaz and a Sodalitium victim, Pedro Salinas, have faced years of criminal and civil litigation from Sodalitium and its supporters for their investigative reporting into the group's twisted practices and financial misconduct, and they have praised Leo for his handling of the case.
The abuse scandal is one of the thorniest dossiers facing Leo, especially given demands from survivors that he go even farther than Francis in applying a zero-tolerance for abuse across the church, including for abusers whose victims were adults.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Pope Leo XIV marks feast day as Vatican launches campaign to help erase its $57-68 million deficit
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday celebrated a special feast day traditionally used by the Catholic Church to drum up donations from the faithful, with the Vatican under the first American pope rolling out a new campaign to urge ordinary Catholics to help bail out the deficit-ridden Holy See. Leo celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, marking the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and repeated his message calling for unity and communion among all Christians. In churches around the world, Masses on the July 29 feast day often include a special collection for Peter's Pence, a fund which both underwrites the operations of the central government of the Catholic Church and pays for the pope's personal acts of charity. With a promotional video, poster, QR code and website soliciting donations via credit card, PayPal, bank transfer and post office transfer, the Vatican is betting this year that an American-style fundraising pitch under the Chicago-born Leo will help keep the Holy See bureaucracy afloat and erase its 50 million to 60 million euro ($57-68 million) structural deficit. The video features footage of Leo's emotional first moments as pope, when he stepped out onto the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and later choked up as he received the fisherman's ring of the papacy. With an evocative soundtrack in the background, the video superimposes a message, available in several languages, urging donations to Leo via the Peter's Pence collection. 'With your donation to Peter's Pence, you support the steps of the Holy Father,' it says. 'Help him proclaim the Gospel to the world and extend a hand to our brothers and sisters in need. Support the steps of Pope Leo XIV. Donate to Peter's Pence.' The fund has been the source of scandal in recent years, amid revelations that the Vatican's secretariat of state mismanaged its holdings through bad investments, incompetent management and waste. The recent trial over the Vatican's bungled investment in a London property confirmed that the vast majority of Peter's Pence contributions had funded the Holy See's budgetary shortfalls, not papal charity initiatives as many parishioners had been led to believe. Between the revelations and the COVID-19 pandemic, which closed churches and canceled out the traditional pass-the-basket collection on June 29, Peter's Pence donations fell to 43.5 million euros in 2022 — a low not seen since 1986 — that was nevertheless offset the same year by other investment income and revenue to the fund. Donations rose to 48.4 million euros (about $56.7 million) in 2023 and hit 54.3 million euros (nearly $63.6 million) last year, according to the Peter's Pence annual report issued last week. But the fund incurred expenses of 75.4 million euros ($88.3 million) in 2024, continuing the trend in which the fund is exhausting itself as it covers the Holy See's budgetary shortfalls. On top of the budget deficit, the Vatican is also facing a 1 billion euro (about $1.17 billion) shortfall in its pension fund that Pope Francis, in the months before he died, warned was unable in the medium term to fulfill its obligations. Unlike countries, the Holy See doesn't issue bonds or impose income tax on its residents to run its operations, relying instead on donations, investments and revenue generated by the Vatican Museums, and sales of stamps, coins, publications and other initiatives. For years, the United States has been the greatest source of donations to Peter's Pence, with U.S. Catholics contributing around a quarter of the total each year. Vatican officials are hoping that under Leo's pontificate, with new financial controls in place and an American math major running the Holy See, donors will be reassured that their money won't be misspent or mismanaged. 'This is a concrete way to support the Holy Father in his mission of service to the universal Church,' the Vatican's economy ministry said in a press release last week announcing the annual collection and new promotional materials surrounding it. 'Peter's Pence is a gesture of communion and participation in the Pope's mission to proclaim the Gospel, promote peace, and spread Christian charity.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Pope Leo XIV appeals for unity within the Catholic Church in Holy Year messages to priests
Pope Leo XIV doubled down on Friday on his appeal for unity in the polarized Catholic Church, urging priests to act in communion with their superiors and be models of reconciliation in a world driven by conflicts and divisions. Leo appealed for unity in a triptych of messages to priests who are celebrating a special Holy Year week in Rome dedicated to clergy. He hosted a special meeting on Thursday afternoon, celebrated an ordination Mass on Friday morning and also delivered a written message to priests around the world. During the Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Leo ordained 32 new priests and recalled his appeal for unity during his installation Mass right after his May 8 election. 'Today, I share this desire once more with all of you,' he said. He quoted St. Augustine – the inspiration of his Augustinian religious order – in repeating the words he said on the night of his election: 'For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian.' During the meetings that preceded the conclave that elected the first American pope in history, cardinals made clear their hope that the next pontiff would heal some of the divisions within the church that deepened during the late Pope Francis' radical 12-year pontificate. Francis' progressive social justice priorities, his informal style, liturgical looseness and disdain for the capitalist economic system often alienated conservatives, particularly in Leo's native United States, who begged for a new pope who could pacify divisions. Leo's consistent reference to unity in the church suggests he has heard those appeals and is working to respond. In a message to priests around the world Friday, Leo offered encouragement in his appeal for unity, not a browbeating as Francis often gave priests. 'In a world marked by growing tensions, even within families and ecclesial communities, priests are called to promote reconciliation and foster communion,' Leo said. He added that priests should not be afraid of their own weaknesses. 'The Lord does not look for perfect priests, but for humble hearts that are open to conversion and prepared to love others as he himself loved us,' he said. He gave a similar message Thursday to thousands of priests who gathered in a Vatican-area auditorium for a Jubilee rally that ended with Leo giving English-language shoutouts to priests from various parts of the world, including his native Chicago. In the encounter, Leo acknowledged the 'crisis' in priestly vocations, which have been falling consistently in traditionally Christian parts of the world for years even as the overall global Catholic population grows. According to Vatican statistics, there were 407,730 priests globally at the end of 2022, down 142 from the previous year. Europe saw the greatest decline, losing 2,745 priests — a figure that was only compensated for globally by the addition of 1,676 priests in Africa and 1,160 in Asia. 'Thank you for who you are, and remind everyone that it's beautiful to be a priest,' he said. 'We aren't perfect, but we are friends of Christ … and that's enough.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment Pope Leo is hit on the head with a flag thrown from worshipers who then charge towards him as he begs them to stay calm in the Vatican
This is the tense moment an object is thrown at Pope Leo XIV from a huge crowd that tries to charge him on World Drugs Day. Swarms of worshippers were pressed against the railing, desperately trying to reach out to the Catholic leader. One overly-enthusiastic faithful threw a red and yellow object - believed to be representing the football club AS Roma - and knocked the pontiff's skullcap. It is believed that the newly appointed pope is a fan of AS Roma, which many felt was confirmed last month after he allegedly responded 'Forza Roma' to a Giallorossi supporter. As he rearranges his skullcap, a huge swell from the crowd breaks the railings and they suddenly surge forward, trying to grab at Pope Leo's arms. The pope's security team immediately rushed towards the barrier and tried to restore order as the first US leader of the global Catholic Church tries to step back for his safety. He pleads with the crowd to calm down, gesturing with his hands to the group to step back. Once the eager crowd are behind the barriers again, Pope Leo goes forward to shake hands with worshippers once more, even blessing a baby. The pontiff spoke with the crowd yesterday about the ramifications of substance abuse at the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Established by the United Nations, the day was intended to raise awareness of the impacts of substance abuse in society and to work towards an end of drug addiction through campaigns, educational events and community schemes. The gathering at San Damaso square was attended by Italian government officials, recovering drug addicts as well as people who help them. Pope Leo called on governments to not criminalise the poor and instead those those who make businesses out of addiction. He said: 'Our fight is against those who make their immense business out of drugs and every other addiction, think of alcohol or gambling. 'There are huge concentrations of interest and extensive criminal organizations that states have a duty to dismantle.' 'Too often, in the name of security, war is waged against the poor, filling prisons with those who are merely the final link in a chain of death. 'Those who hold the chain in their hands instead manage to gain influence and impunity. Pope Leo pleads with the crowd to calm down, gesturing with his hands to the group to step back The pontiff spoke with the crowd yesterday about the ramifications of substance abuse at the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 'Too often, in the name of security, war is waged against the poor, filling prisons with those who are merely the final link in a chain of death,' Pope Leo told crowds in San Damaso 'Our cities must not be freed of the marginalised, but of marginalisation. They must be cleared not of the desperate, but of desperation.' Pope Leo was elected as the latest pontiff of the Catholic Church last month after only two days of conclave. He had spent many years before as head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo, Peru, where he had moved to as a missionary in 1985 and was known as Robert Prevost. Seen as a man who has similar attitudes on reform to the late Pope Francis, many of Pope Leo's initial messages have been one of peace. However it has been widely reported that along side his religious duties, he is an avid sports fan. Father Joseph Farrell, the Vicar General of the Augustinians, has spoken about how Pope Leo play tennis frequently, while it has been said that the Chicago-native is fan of the White Sox baseball team in MLB. 'He's a regular tennis player. He would come up and play on our grounds once a week at least,' Father Farrell said. 'He is [AS] Roma all the way,' he added. The club have also shared a statement on X saying: 'AS Roma joins in rejoicing with Rome and the world following the election of Pope Leo XIV, and wishes him all the very best for his papacy.'
