Pope Leo Calls for Action Against Clergy Abuse and Support for Victims

WHO:

ABC News - Pope Leo XIV

CBS News - Juan Cuatrecasas, spokesman for the association Infancia Robada (Stolen Childhood)

CBS News - Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

WHAT:

CBS News - Pope Leo XIV stated, "The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile."

CBS News - The pope called for "safe and legal pathways" for immigration and for migrants to be given "a respectful welcome and real opportunities for integration."

CBS News - The pope's visit to Spain will include a trip to the Canary Islands, where he will pay tribute to the migrants who have lost their lives at sea on perilous journeys from Africa.

CBS News - The pope will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, which recently became the world's tallest church.

CBS News - Pope Leo XIV stated, "Faced with this scourge, the ecclesial community is called to respond with listening, truth, justice, reparation and an ever more determined commitment to prevention and a culture of care."

CBS News - Juan Cuatrecasas, spokesman for the association Infancia Robada (Stolen Childhood), expressed disappointment that the pope was excluding a larger representation of victims, stating, "We are going to keep pushing until the end, insisting that the Pope has to see us, has to hear us, we have a voice."

CBS News - The pope's visit will include a meeting with victims at the Vatican embassy in Madrid, formally known as the apostolic nunciature.

[7:31 AM EDT] - CBS News - Pope Leo XIV stated, "One of the most painful encounters is with those who have been wounded precisely by those who were supposed to care for them, including members of the clergy."

[7:31 AM EDT] - CBS News - The pope emphasized that "Every wounded person must be able to find sincere listening, welcome, protection and real paths to healing."

[7:31 AM EDT] - CBS News - The pope's speech to the Spanish parliament received a lengthy standing ovation from lawmakers.

[7:31 AM EDT] - CBS News - The pope celebrated an open-air mass in central Madrid attended by more than 1.5 million people.

ABC News - Pope Leo XIV urged Spain's Catholic hierarchy to provide reparations to clergy sexual abuse survivors.

CBS News - Pope Leo XIV denounced the "scourge" of sexual violence by Catholic clergy.

CBS News - The pope called for a "culture of care" in the Church.

CBS News - Around 200,000 minors are estimated to have suffered sexual violence by clergy in Spain since 1940.

CBS News - The Vatican stated that a meeting with victims will take place during the visit but will not provide further information until after it has occurred.

WHERE:

ABC News - Spain

CBS News - Vatican embassy in Madrid, formally known as the apostolic nunciature.

CBS News - Spanish parliament

CBS News - Canary Islands

WHEN:

CBS News - The pope's visit to Spain includes a trip to the Canary Islands, where he will pay tribute to migrants who have lost their lives at sea.

CBS News - The pope will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona on Wednesday.

CBS News - The visit will conclude on Thursday and Friday in the Canary Islands.

WHY:

CBS News - The pope emphasized the need for a "moral renewal" in legislatures and public life to ensure respect for the inherent dignity of all people, including migrants, the unborn, and the most vulnerable.

CBS News - Pope Leo XIV stated that the scandal of sexual violence is "still an open wound" for the Church.

CBS News - The pope emphasized the need for listening, truth, justice, reparation, and a commitment to prevention and a culture of care in response to the abuse crisis.

HOW:

CBS News - The pope called for "patient dialogue" instead of conflict and rearmament in Europe and beyond, stating, "Weapons may impose a temporary silence but they can never build a genuine and lasting peace."

NPR - Pope Leo XIV called for strengthened international and multilateral efforts to prevent human smuggling of migrants and create conditions for them to choose to stay home.

[7:31 AM EDT] - CBS News - The pope called for "patient dialogue" instead of conflict and rearmament in Europe and beyond, stating, "Weapons may impose a temporary silence but they can never build a genuine and lasting peace."

CBS News - The pope delivered an unprecedented speech to the Spanish parliament, calling for a global response to migration and world peace.

CBS News - The Spanish government and the Catholic Church signed an agreement in March to compensate victims after years of reticence from the Church hierarchy.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 06:18 UTC)

Pope Leo XIV has emphasized that a nation's moral greatness is reflected in its ability to support and protect its most vulnerable citizens, particularly migrants. During his upcoming visit to Spain, he plans to pay tribute to those who have tragically lost their lives at sea while seeking safety, and he will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, now the tallest church in the world. The pope also urged for a "moral renewal" in public life, advocating for respectful dialogue over conflict, as he believes that true peace cannot be achieved through weapons.

(UPDATED June 9, 2026 01:35 UTC)

Pope Leo XIV has called for a moral renewal in public life, emphasizing the need for respect for the dignity of all individuals, including migrants and the vulnerable. During his upcoming visit, he will meet with victims at the Vatican embassy in Madrid, known as the apostolic nunciature, although Juan Cuatrecasas, a spokesman for the association Infancia Robada, expressed disappointment over the pope's exclusion of a broader representation of victims. The pope also highlighted the importance of international cooperation to prevent human smuggling and create conditions that allow migrants to choose to remain in their home countries.

(UPDATED June 8, 2026 18:00 UTC)

Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful message to the Spanish parliament, addressing the deep wounds inflicted by those meant to provide care, including members of the clergy, and received a lengthy standing ovation from lawmakers. He emphasized the need for every wounded person to find sincere listening, welcome, protection, and real paths to healing, while also calling for patient dialogue over conflict and rearmament, stating that weapons can only impose temporary silence. Earlier, the pope celebrated an open-air mass in central Madrid, drawing a crowd of over 1.5 million people.

(UPDATED June 8, 2026 16:17 UTC)

Pope Leo XIV has called on Spain's Catholic hierarchy to provide reparations to survivors of clergy sexual abuse, denouncing the "scourge" of sexual violence within the Church and emphasizing the need for a "culture of care." An estimated 200,000 minors have suffered sexual violence by clergy in Spain since 1940, and the pope's visit will include a meeting with victims, although details will be shared only after it takes place. During his trip, he will bless the new tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona on Wednesday and conclude his visit in the Canary Islands, where he will pay tribute to migrants who have lost their lives at sea.