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Pope Meets French Abuse Survivors, Urges Vigilance Without Bishops

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 2:21 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Pope Leo XIV meets

Pope Leo XIV met privately with seven French clergy-abuse survivors, without bishops present.
He urged the French Church to maintain utmost vigilance against child abuse.
In a closed meeting, he praised French bishops for courageous measures and urged continued safeguards.
Survivors’ co-leader Michele Le Reun-Gaigne told Reuters progress is moving very slowly.

Summary

Vinuales forecasts tourists

Hotelier Patrick Vinuales expects nearly 250,000 visitors in Lourdes this weekend, sparking a tourism surge.
Local hoteliers report rooms exceeding €2,000 per night for papal-related stays.
About 150,000 pilgrims are expected at Lourdes’ open-air Mass, adding to its three-million annual visitors.
Adult baptisms in France have tripled since 2016, reaching 13,000 this year.
Pope Leo XIV becomes the third pontiff to visit Lourdes after John Paul II (2004) and Benedict XVI (2008).

History

Historical Context

After Bernadette Soubirous reported the 1858 Marian apparitions, Lourdes grew into a global pilgrimage site, attracting an estimated 200 million visitors since 1860 and 715,000 pilgrims in 2012. Pope John Paul II reinforced this legacy with visits in 1983 and a significant high-profile 2004 pilgrimage, underscoring the shrine’s enduring spiritual and economic influence.

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Pope Leo XIV meets

Pope Leo XIV met privately with seven French clergy-abuse survivors, without bishops present.
He urged the French Church to maintain utmost vigilance against child abuse.
In a closed meeting, he praised French bishops for courageous measures and urged continued safeguards.
Survivors’ co-leader Michele Le Reun-Gaigne told Reuters progress is moving very slowly.

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