Pope Leo pledges action on clergy abuse after meeting French survivors

LOURDES, France – Pope Leo reaffirmed his commitment to ending abuse of children by Catholic priests in a meeting with French abuse survivors on Sunday, the Vatican said, hours after the pontiff urged the Church to admit its own failings and heal its “deep wounds.” In a two-hour meeting with seven survivors in France, where Leo is on a three-city weekend visit, the pope met privately with each of the victims and heard proposals for how to improve the Church’s safeguarding measures, a Vatican statement said.