Pope Leo XIV had a meeting of nearly three hours with 15 victims of sexual abuse committed by clergy in Belgium, described as "deep and painful," highlighting the crisis in the Catholic Church.

On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV spent nearly three hours with 15 survivors of sexual abuse committed by clergy in Belgium, the meeting being described by the Holy See's press office as 'profound and painful.' This took place in a context of crisis for the Belgian Catholic Church, affected by scandals related to clerical abuse. Pope Francis addressed these issues during a previous visit to Belgium, where he was urged by the Belgian Prime Minister to take concrete measures. Leo's meeting with the survivors reflects his commitment to not tolerate abuse and to support victims, considering his prior experience with abuse scandals in Latin America. This meeting occurred after a Vatican report highlighting the need to better assist survivors.