Pope Leo XIV Urges Italian Catholic Church to Develop Abuse Prevention Culture Amid Global Crisis

Pope Leo XIV, who assumed papal office in May following Pope Francis's passing, has urged the Italian Catholic Church to establish a "culture of prevention" regarding clerical child sexual abuse, addressing criticisms about Italy's slow response to this global crisis.

During the Italian Bishops Conference's general assembly in Assisi, the pontiff emphasized, "I would like to recommend particular attention to the youngest and most vulnerable, so that a culture of prevention of all forms of abuse can develop."

The American pope highlighted the importance of welcoming and listening to victims, stating, "I thank you for what you have already done and I encourage you to continue your commitment to protecting minors and vulnerable adults."

However, his remarks did not directly reference the recent Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors report, which criticized Italy's "substantial cultural resistance" to addressing abuse issues.

Unlike many other nations, Italy's Catholic Church has yet to initiate a national investigation into clergy abuse cases.

Italian survivors organization Rete L'Abuso (The Abuse Network) expressed disappointment with the pope's statement. Francesco Zanardi, the group's founder, told AFP, "In reality, in Italy, there's nothing to be thankful for, and they (the Vatican) know that well."

An October report by Rete l'Abuso estimated that 1,106 priests have been accused of sexual abuse in Italy since 2000, with nearly 4,400 known victims. The report indicated that most cases were never reported to Italian judicial authorities.

Zanardi noted that many accused priests are simply transferred to different dioceses, lamenting the absence of legal requirements for the Church to report abuse. "Everything works as it did 30 years ago in Italy," he stated. "The only thing that has changed is that before they did it in secret, now they do it in full view of everyone."

In October, Pope Leo XIV held his first meeting with sexual abuse survivors since becoming pope. The US-based Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA) organization requested that the Vatican extend the "zero tolerance" policy on abuse—already implemented in the United States—to the global Church. However, according to ECA, the pope acknowledged significant worldwide resistance to such a change.