VATICAN CITY (VATICAN CITY)
Vatican News - Holy See [Vatican City]
November 8, 2025
Pope Leo meets with a group of survivors of clerical abuse in Belgium in a climate of “closeness, deep listening, and painful dialogue”, which concluded with a moment of prayer.
Pope Leo XIV met on Saturday afternoon with fifteen people from Belgium who were victims of clerical abuse when they were minors.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the meeting took place “in a climate of closeness with the victims, of listening and dialogue, both profound and painful,” and lasted nearly three hours, concluding with an “intense moment of prayer.”
The group was accompanied by members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which continues to work closely with the Church in Belgium on safeguarding issues.
Earlier in the day, the Commission also met with the same group to continue the dialogue begun last July, when a delegation from the Commission visited Belgium.
Continuing a path of dialogue
Most of those who met the Pope had previously taken part in a meeting with Pope Francis during his Apostolic Journey to Belgium in September 2024. That earlier encounter, held at the Apostolic Nunciature in Brussels, offered the victims an opportunity to share their experiences and their hopes concerning the Church’s commitment to preventing abuse and supporting survivors.
Pope Francis, for his part, listened with empathy and expressed gratitude for their courage, as well as a sense of shame for the suffering they endured as children. He also took careful note of the requests and concerns they presented to him.