Only response from Pope Leo XIV on abuse record has been denial

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2025

ROME, ITALY — The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is dismayed that the recently elected Pope Leo XIV has made no effort to address the ongoing sexual abuse catastrophe in the Catholic Church since his election. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse reached out to the new pope in an open letter released on Thursday, May 8. Thus far, Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican have offered only denials of responsibility for abuse cases that occurred under his authority in prior roles.

SNAP members will attend tomorrow’s Angelus in St. Peter’s Square at noon and will be available for comment afterward. The organization is calling on Pope Leo XIV to commit to the concrete structural reforms mentioned in their letter which include:

• An independent Global Truth Commission with full Vatican cooperation;

• A Universal Zero Tolerance Law adopted into canon law;

• International legal agreements mandating transparency and accountability;

• A survivor-funded Reparations Fund supported by church assets;

• And a Global Survivors Council with the authority to oversee and enforce compliance.

As the first American pope, Leo’s election has drawn particular attention in the United States, where many survivors are already familiar with his track record. “Survivors in the U.S. know his record very well,” said SNAP Board President Shaun Dougherty. “They lived through his decisions, his inaction, and the consequences. They are watching closely, and they will not accept more of the same.”

“These are not radical demands — they are necessary steps toward justice and accountability,” Peter Isely, SNAP founding member and Global Affairs Chief added. “The abuse crisis can be solved. But Pope Leo XIV must accept the responsibility.”