An 80-year-old survivor of sexual misconduct by the clergy described an embrace from the head of the Catholic Church as 'extraordinary' during a recent meeting in Lourdes. Pope Leo XIV met with seven victims of clerical abuse in France to reaffirm his commitment to preventing further harm and ensuring such cases do not happen again.

The Vatican stated that Leo XIV is dedicated to ending abuse by priests across the church. During the meetings, the pontiff told survivors that he is personally committed to stopping future suffering and upholding the safety of the faithful.