Pope Leo XIV begins his France visit Friday amid debate over clerical abuse, a June law establishing a right to assisted dying for some adults with incurable conditions, and migration. He is due to meet seven abuse victims in Lourdes on Sunday.
A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over 70 years. The seven victims Leo is due to meet include an 80-year-old former student of Notre-Dame de Betharram, where widespread physical and sexual abuse was reported. Parliament passed the assisted-dying legislation in June; the Catholic Church in France condemned it as a serious “rupture.” Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline said defending human life’s dignity was at the heart of the pope’s message.
This is the first official papal visit to France in 18 years. The first round of next year’s presidential election is seven months away, and Leo is due to visit an association supporting migrants as migration is expected to be a campaign issue. His programme includes speeches at UNESCO and in Metz, where a meeting is titled “To the roots of Europe for peace and unity.” An academic quoted in the report said Leo is unlikely to single out political actors, but his support for European integration gives the trip political weight.
