Seven Church abuse survivors reiterate demands before meeting the Pope in Lourdes
Seven victims of sexual abuse by clergy will meet the Pope in Lourdes, reaffirming their demands and refusing further media comments before the audience.
Seven individuals who suffered sexual abuse within the Catholic Church are set to meet the Pope in Lourdes, insisting that their core demands stay intact. In a joint statement, they clarified that engaging in dialogue does not equate to endorsing past abuses and that receiving the Pope does not require abandoning their demands. Five of the survivors—Jean-Marie Delbos, Véronique Garnier, Jérôme Guillement, Olivier Mardi, and Bertrand Virieux—publicly identified themselves; the remaining two remain unnamed, including one victim of Abbé Pierre.
Prior to the audience, they met with officials from the Conférence des évêques de France and the Conférence des religieux et religieuses de France, with Bishop Gérard Le Stang of Amiens present, to outline the fundamental questions they wish to raise. The group warned that none will grant interviews or issue statements before the papal encounter, though they intend to share their testimonies afterward, each speaking in their own voice.
Why it matters
The meeting highlights ongoing pressure on the Catholic hierarchy to address and rectify past sexual abuse scandals.
In this story
