Pope Leo XIV urges French bishops to stay vigilant as seven abuse survivors prepare to meet him; about 2,000 French victims seek reparations
France's Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation (INIRR) has received roughly 2,000 requests for compensation from individuals alleging sexual abuse by clergy, and has so far issued 1,184 decisions with an average award of about 36,892 euros from a church‑funded special account. The agency will stop accepting new submissions on August 31 but will continue to support existing claimants. Seven adult survivors – including Jean‑Marie Delbos, Véronique Garnier, Jérôme Guillement, Olivier Mardi and Bertrand Virieux, with two remaining unnamed – are scheduled to meet Pope Leo XIV during his visit to Lourdes, reiterating that dialogue does not mean abandoning their demands. In a private audience in Lourdes, the pope urged French bishops to remain vigilant against clerical sexual abuse.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning outlets covered this 153h later
- Centrist coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The parallel processes of reparations and high‑level church engagement highlight ongoing efforts to address historic clerical abuse in France.
How this story developed
- Sep 15 Pope Leon XIV's French tour set for mostly sunny weather across three cities
- Sep 16 Seven victims of sexual abuse by clergy will meet the Pope in Lourdes, reaffirming their demands and refusing further media comments before the audience.
- Sep 25 Pope Leo XIV arrived in Paris and began his four‑day visit with a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace.
- Sep 25 The Pope arrived at the Stade de France where a large gathering of young people greeted him, chanting and cheering as his papamobile circulated the field.
- Sep 26 Pope Leo XIV held an open‑air mass at Place de la Concorde attended by several French political figures, while President Emmanuel Macron was not present.
- Sep 26 A vespers service at Notre‑Dame attended by thousands of clergy was held as part of the papal itinerary.
- Sep 26 Hundreds of thousands gathered for the Mass, with numerous French political figures in attendance.
- Sep 27 The INIRR agency is closing to new submissions as a group of survivors prepares for a papal audience.
- Sep 27 Security deployment of 15,000 police and 17,000 volunteers and a €27 million budget were detailed for the mass.
- Sep 27 Pope Leo XIV urged French bishops to stay vigilant against clerical sexual abuse during a private audience in Lourdes.
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