Pope Francis to meet clergy abuse survivors in Uruguay, Argentina, Peru

Pope Francis will meet with survivors of clergy sexual abuse during his three‑country Latin American trip, scheduled for late October and early November, with stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The Vatican announced the meetings in a brief statement on Thursday, confirming that the pontiff will sit down with groups of victims and their families in each nation’s capital.

The outreach comes as the Catholic Church continues to grapple with the fallout from decades of abuse scandals that have rocked dioceses worldwide. In the United States, a 2022 settlement of $2.45 billion for victims of clergy misconduct highlighted the scale of the problem, while a 2021 Vatican summit on abuse produced a set of new guidelines for handling accusations. Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about the need for “a church of the poor, of the wounded,” but critics say concrete reforms have lagged behind promises. By meeting survivors in Latin America, where the Church wields significant social influence, the Pope signals a willingness to confront the issue in regions often overlooked by global media.

Organizers said each meeting will involve between 10 and 20 survivors, selected through local advocacy groups that have been active since the early 2000s. In Argentina, the survivors’ coalition will bring forward testimonies that date back to the 1970s, when the country’s military dictatorship overlapped with a surge in clerical abuse. In Uruguay, the Vatican will host a round‑table with representatives from the national episcopal conference, while Peru’s gathering will include officials from the Ministry of Justice, reflecting the country’s recent push for stronger criminal penalties for sexual crimes. Church officials have welcomed the plan, calling it “a step toward healing,” while some victim advocates remain cautious, urging the Pope to follow up with concrete measures such as transparent reporting and independent oversight.

The meetings are expected to conclude with a joint statement outlining next steps for the Latin American Church, including a review of diocesan handling of abuse cases and a pledge to implement the Vatican’s 2021 procedural reforms. Observers say the Pope’s presence could pressure local bishops to adopt stricter safeguarding policies and to cooperate with civil authorities. The outcomes of these talks will likely shape the Vatican’s broader strategy for addressing abuse, as the Holy See prepares for its next global summit on the issue later next year.