Pope Leo's Historic Meeting with Abuse Survivors: A New Era for the Church?

Pope Leo met with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, indicating a new approach to addressing the Church's longstanding abuse scandals. The meeting, held with the group Ending Clergy Abuse, represented a significant step in dialogue and hope for victims seeking justice and healing.

Pope Leo met with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy on Monday in what participants described as a landmark meeting. This comes shortly after the Vatican's child protection commission criticized Church leadership for slow responses to victims' needs.

The meeting held at the Vatican involved Ending Clergy Abuse, an international coalition of survivors, and lasted about an hour. Participants, including six abuse victims, termed it a 'significant moment of dialogue.' The Catholic Church, comprising 1.4 billion members worldwide, has long been embroiled in abuse scandals that have shattered its credibility and led to costly settlements.

The Vatican's child protection commission recently issued a report condemning senior bishops for failing to provide necessary information to victims. Canadian survivor Gemma Hickey mentioned Leo's attentive stance during the meeting. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May to succeed Pope Francis and is known for his earlier work with abuse survivors in Peru.

(With inputs from agencies.)