As the global Catholic Church prepares to elect a new leader, advocates for survivors of clerical sex abuse are calling for the issue to be placed at the forefront of the next papacy. They have voiced criticisms of the handling of abuse allegations by the three most recent Popes.
For at least three decades, the Church has faced widespread scandals involving priests accused of sexually abusing children, as well as allegations of cover-ups by Church officials. These scandals have damaged the Church’s reputation and resulted in significant financial settlements.
Peter Isely, a founder of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), stated in Rome that the issue of abuse should be “the central issue in the conclave,” the closed-door meeting of cardinals who will elect the new Pope, scheduled to begin on May 7th. Isely’s group has launched a website tracking allegations of cover-ups by senior Church figures.
While Pope Francis, who died on April 21st, reiterated pledges of “zero tolerance” for abuse made by his predecessor, Benedict XVI, and introduced reforms aimed at addressing the issue, campaigners argue that the implementation of these measures has been inconsistent.
Benedict XVI himself faced scrutiny following a 2022 report alleging that he failed to act on abuse allegations during his tenure as Archbishop of Munich (Germany) from 1977 to 1982. Benedict, who resigned from the papacy in 2013, later acknowledged errors and sought forgiveness. He passed away later that year.
Both Benedict, Francis, and John Paul II have also been criticized for their handling of matters related to the late U.S. ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was laicized after allegations of sexual misconduct.
The papacy of John Paul II (1978-2005) was also marred by accusations that he ignored allegations against the late Mexican priest Marcial Maciel, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, who was later revealed to be a serial abuser. Maciel was a significant fundraiser for the Vatican.
“We’re doing everything in our power (…) to challenge the hierarchy to elect someone who does not have the same history that Francis had, that Benedict had, that John Paul had,” said Sarah Pearson, another SNAP representative.
The Vatican has confirmed that the issue of sexual abuse is among the topics being discussed by cardinals in preparatory meetings ahead of the conclave.
SNAP and other survivors’ groups are advocating for the removal of all priests found guilty of abuse from the Church and for the removal of bishops or cardinals found to have covered up abuse.
Jean Luis Cipriani Thorne, a cardinal who faced disciplinary action following abuse allegations, is participating in the pre-conclave discussions. However, as he is over 80 years old, he will not be eligible to vote in the papal election. Cipriani, formerly the leading Catholic cleric in Peru, denies any wrongdoing. In January, the Vatican confirmed reports that he was subjected to restrictions regarding his public activities, residence, and use of religious symbols.
“This man has no place there (in pre-conclave talks)… It’s wildly inappropriate,” Pearson stated, arguing that individuals should not retain their rank and title after being found responsible for abuse-related misconduct.
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