VATICAN CITY (VATICAN CITY)
Irish Star [Dublin, Ireland]
October 20, 2025
By Athena Dawson
Organizers shared that the pope said he agreed to maintain a permanent dialogue with them, as they advocate for a zero-tolerance abuse policy in the Catholic Church
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged Monday that there is “great resistance” within the Catholic Church to adopting a universal zero-tolerance policy for clergy who abuse children.
The first American pope met with Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA), a global organization of clergy abuse survivors and advocates, and agreed to maintain a permanent dialogue with the group.
The policy calls for the permanent removal of any priest found guilty of child sexual abuse.
Tim Law, ECA co-founder, said Pope Leo recognized the challenges in implementing a universal zero-tolerance law. Law added that the organization hopes to work with the pope and the Vatican to advance the policy.
“Meeting with the pope and being heard at this level is historic,” Law said, noting that previous popes, including Francis and Benedict XVI, have met with victims individually but generally kept advocacy groups at arm’s length.
Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, spent much of his career ministering in Peru before being elected the first U.S.-born pope in May.
Considered a centrist, he has taken stances on issues including climate change and immigration, reflecting some of the policies of his predecessors while also emphasizing his own priorities.
The Vatican did not immediately respond to requests for comment on when the zero-tolerance policy might be implemented globally.
Advocates have long pushed for a universal standard that would remove abusive priests permanently, citing the uneven application of rules across dioceses.
Pope Leo’s acknowledgment of resistance marks one of the first times a sitting pope has publicly addressed the internal challenges of implementing such a policy.
Pope Leo has also met with clergy abuse survivors in the past and served as a point-person for victims during the Peruvian bishops’ conference when he was a bishop there.
Advocates say his willingness to engage with ECA signals a potential shift toward greater transparency and collaboration with activist organizations.