Just hours after being elected the new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV is facing serious questions about how he dealt with sexual abuse cases in the past. Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected pope on May 8, 2025. He is the first American to ever hold the role and was introduced to the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. But soon after the celebration, survivor groups like SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) raised concerns. They say Pope Leo XIV failed to properly act on child abuse claims while he was a ch

Just hours after being elected the new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV is facing serious questions about how he dealt with sexual abuse cases in the past. Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected pope on May 8, 2025. He is the first American to ever hold the role and was introduced to the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. But soon after the celebration, survivor groups like SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) raised concerns. They say Pope Leo XIV failed to properly act on child abuse claims while he was a church leader in Chicago and Peru. "Staying silent is a sin," said Lopez de Casas, a survivor and SNAP leader. "Jesus wants us to stop these things, not protect the people who hurt others." According to Time Magazine, in Chicago in the early 2000s, Pope Leo XIV reportedly allowed a priest accused of abuse, Father James Ray, to live near a Catholic school. Critics say school officials were never told about the accusations. Later, when serving in Peru from 2014 to 2023, he was again accused of ignoring reports from three sisters who said they were abused by a priest. The case was dropped years later due to lack of evidence. Despite the backlash, many Catholics are still hopeful. In his first speech as pope, Leo XIV said he wanted the Church to be close to people, especially those suffering. "We want to be a Church that walks together in peace and love," he said. As Pope Leo XIV begins his leadership, many are watching closely to see how he will respond to the calls for justice and change.

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