Pope Leo XIV is on a seven-day visit to Spain, SIR (Servizio Informazione Religiosa) reported.
During his upcoming apostolic visit to Spain, Pope Leo XIV will meet with victims of abuse by the clergy. The Holy See Press Office confirmed this.
The meeting “was organized by the Spanish Church“, the statement said, which guaranteed that the “wishes and privacy“ of the victims would be respected. Further information will be provided after the meeting, "out of respect for the victims, their wishes and their privacy."
Pope Leo XIV said the sexual abuse scandal linked to the Catholic Church was "still an open wound," speaking to journalists on the plane carrying him to Madrid. The pope is scheduled to meet with victims of sexual assault during his stay, after the left-wing government and the Church signed an agreement in March to compensate victims of sexual crimes, after years of hesitation and opacity on the part of the church hierarchy, BTA reported.
Leo, who angered US President Donald Trump by criticizing his anti-immigration policies, will meet with migrants and organizations that help them on the last stop of his trip.
Speaking on the plane from Rome to Madrid, Leo said he was making the visit to set a good example to the world of respect for human life. "We can send a very strong message... of mercy and respect for every person," he told the media.
The situation of migrants is deeply close to the pope's heart, said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press service. "These are people, and their stories should touch us".