Pope Leo XIV draws praise on handling sexual abuse—and some complicated allegations
Cardinal Robert Prevost leads the celebration anniversary of the Diocese of Chulucanas, Peru, August 12, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Diocese of Chulucanas)
Amid the mostly joyous reception for Robert Prevost, who stunned the world when he emerged from the loggia of St. Peter’s as Pope Leo XIV, one cloud on his reputation came from groups alleging that he had mishandled sexual abuse cases.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and Bishop Accountability, two US-based abuse watchdog groups, have blasted Leo and elevated previous allegations—the most serious of which concern three women in the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, who claim that the then-Bishop Prevost failed to properly investigate their allegations that two priests sexually abused them as children.
Last fall, the three women signed a letter stating publicly that they had told Prevost about the abuse in 2022 and had never received any offer of psychological, spiritual, or legal support. They argued that while he was leading the Chiclayo Diocese, there was no evidence that he had opened a preliminary investigation or that he had removed their alleged abusers from ministry.
