Pope Leo XIV in a statement read on Friday at a theater performance in Lima, Peru, delivered his message.
In the statement, the Pope stressed the need to create a culture of accountability within the Church. The Pope said that the Church should not tolerate any form of abuse.
Pope Leo Calls For Press Freedom
“It is necessary to inculcate throughout the Church a culture of prevention that does not tolerate any form of abuse: abuse of power or authority, of conscience or spirituality, of sexual abuse.”
Pope Leo also spoke about the role of the media in uncovering abuses and holding power to account: He said, silencing of the journalist weakens the soul of democracy.
“Defending free and ethical journalism is not only an act of justice but a duty for all who aspire to a strong and participatory democracy,” Pope added.
The Past of Pope Leo And Survivor Concerns
The Pope’s remarks follow concerns raised by some survivors’ groups after his election on May 8. Pope Leo succeeded the late Pope Francis as head of the Roman Catholic Church’s 1.5 billion followers.
Much of the unease stems from his earlier role as Robert Prevost, head of the Augustinian order’s U.S. Midwest province. In 2000, the province placed a priest named James Ray, who had been banned from working around children due to molestation allegations, into a Chicago friary located next to an elementary school.
Church officials have since stated that Prevost did not personally authorize Ray’s placement.
Later, while serving as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, beginning in 2015, Prevost was informed by three women that they had allegedly been abused as minors by two local priests. However, the women claimed no substantial investigation followed
Sodalitium Dissolution and the Role of Pope Leo
Despite earlier concerns, survivors of abuse by the Sodalitium credit Pope Leo with helping arrange a pivotal meeting with Pope Francis that led to a Vatican investigation. That inquiry ended in Francis dissolving the organization in January, which was just three months before his death.
Pope’s statement was read at Proyecto Ugaz performance. The statement honored journalist Paola Ugaz’s years-long effort to expose abuse within the group. The statement added that efforts that came at great personal risk.
Also Read: Pope Leo Urges Politicians to Tackle the Dangers of Artificial Intelligence
