Survivors' Voices: What I Would Like to See from Pope Leo XIV, Part 2

As the world continues to talk about Pope Leo XIV, I have found it really powerful and clarifying to listen to what survivors have to say about this new pontificate. In the responses shared on this blog, as well as my individual conversations, I hear divergent responses and common themes, understandable skepticism and tenacious hope. What do you hear when you read these reflections?

You can see the first set of responses here: What I Would Like to See from Pope Leo XIV, Part One. And here are a few more thoughts to ponder:

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• I really want Pope Leo to act on and enforce the legislation put into place by Pope Francis, and I hope that – as a canon lawyer himself – he will be able to both promulgate and enforce better laws with better protocols for dealing with abuse of all kinds. Laws with teeth, that require transparency and accountability. I want him to enforce these laws uniformly, not giving exemptions to those he knows and likes. And along those lines, I want to see him hold Rupnik accountable and denounce his artwork. But more than laws and legislation, I want him to be a true pastor to those of us who have been abused. To be willing to listen to our stories and accompany us and pay attention to our needs and actually act on what he receives from us—but also to invite and encourage us to contribute to the life of the Church. We have so much wisdom and experience to offer that could help the Church be more what she is supposed to be. Leo seems to care a lot about the poor and marginalized – I want that mercy to extend to abuse survivors as well, since we belong to the poor and marginalized in the Church.

• I’d like him to make an address and acknowledgment of abuse in the Church and share how those words translate into justice and mercy for survivors and into proper censure for the priest. I’d like him to address an apostolic letter to survivors of abuse. I’d like him to invite me to meet him to share what my experience as an adult survivor of clergy abuse. I do not want him to remain silent on this issue for long. The longer he goes without making a direct statement to the topic, the less assured I am of his pontificate to bring awareness of all forms of abuse to light and take action for healing and prevention.

• Your Holiness Pope Leo XIV, As a survivor of Church clergy abuse, I urge you to move beyond words to real action. Acknowledge the full truth, hold abusers and those who cover up accountable, and involve survivors in oversight and decision-making. Enforce zero tolerance, ensure transparency, and provide real support for survivors. Only through decisive action can trust be rebuilt and future abuse prevented. Please lead with honesty and courage.

• I would like Pope Leo to respond to the allegations of a 2022 incident and an update of where the matter currently stands, especially to confirm or deny that the priest is active in ministry when he has been directed otherwise. I’d like his response to give me confidence of his leadership to carry out decisions and consequences to those who abuse, so that I can be excited for his pontificate.

• I’d like to ask Pope Leo XIV to please ask victim/survivors what it’s like to be sexually abused by clergy. And ask us where the church stands with this issue today. In the USA, we have so many wonderful words and promises made to us by the Church, but they have been mostly just words. The lack of knowledge by bishops, priests and popes has an impact on the lifelong damage from having been abused in the church. But what’s just as harmful is the complete lack of empathy and transparency victims experience today. The attitude of the Church is not much different than it was in the 60’s. At this point, words are meaningless if they’re not followed by actions, as well as a change of heart.

• I hope that, as Pope Leo addresses sexual abuse in the Church, he is also able to continue the conversation about other forms of abuse in the Church, too: spiritual abuse, abuse of conscience, emotional abuse, abuse of power, etc. I’d like to see him better define “vulnerable adult” to reflect the reality of the power dynamics at play between Church leaders and the faithful and to include those in formation in religious orders and lay associations. I want to see him investigate abuse in lay associations and religious orders, like that which occurred in the order Rupnik founded, and to address the particular power dynamics present in religious life that made what happened with Rupnik possible and that cause so much continued suffering.

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If you are interested in a slightly different take on this same topic, please check out Awake’s blog post here: Survivors Share Their Hopes for the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.

Please keep talking about these issues anytime the topic of the papacy comes up! Every voice speaking up for change makes a difference.

Peace,
Sara