Pope Leo XIV meets clergy abuse survivors during Argentina visit

Pope Leo XIV met with five survivors of abuse by clergy and church institutions in Buenos Aires on Monday, November 9, 2026. The American pope spent about an hour talking with them individually and as a group before an event at the Catholic University of Argentina. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope listened to their painful stories and proposals to help heal the church.

Denied Meetings

Other groups of victims wanted to meet the pope but were denied. This included 43 women who claim they faced human trafficking and forced labour at centres run by the conservative group Opus Dei. Prosecutors have asked a judge to question senior Opus members named in the claims, but the judge has not ordered it yet, and Opus denies all wrongdoing. According to ABC News - International, another meeting with survivors is expected later this week when Pope Leo arrives in Peru.

Past Cases

Survivors had demanded stronger action against priests convicted in criminal courts whose internal church fates remain unknown. Groups cited cases involving Julio Grassi, who is serving a 15-year sentence for abusing a minor, and former Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, who received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence in 2022 for abusing two seminarians. The late Pope Francis previously intervened in both cases in favour of the accused men before their criminal convictions.

Context

Pope Leo continues a practice set by past pontiffs of meeting abuse survivors during foreign trips to show support and address historical church scandals. These high-profile cases highlight ongoing tensions between civil legal systems and internal Vatican church processes when handling allegations against senior clergy members.