Pope Francis

Pope Francis has called on the Catholic Church to acknowledge and confront its failings as it prepares for a meeting with survivors of clerical sexual abuse. The appeal comes ahead of the encounter, which is expected to focus on accountability and support for victims, and has drawn attention to the Church's ongoing reckoning with its handling of abuse scandals worldwide.

Pope Francis met with victims of clergy sexual abuse and called for 'wise leaders' in comments made as France prepares for its upcoming election. The meeting underscores the Catholic Church's ongoing reckoning with abuse scandals, while the Pope's remarks on leadership were widely read as a message aimed at voters ahead of the French vote.

Pope Francis has urged priests and religious in France to embrace a missionary conversion, calling on them to renew their commitment to evangelisation as the Church faces declining numbers across the country. The appeal, reported by Vatican News, frames the French Church's future around outreach rather than maintenance, with emphasis on parishes rethinking how they serve their communities.