IN A FORCEFUL address to conclude a two-day meeting of the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV declared that the failure within the Church to welcome and accompany victims of sexual abuse constitutes a profound scandal, separate from the crimes themselves.
The Pope’s remarks, delivered on January 8 and published in full on January 10, described the abuse crisis as “a real wound in the life of the Church in many places.”
While the Extraordinary Consistory primarily focused on themes of synodality and mission, Pope Leo dedicated a significant portion of his closing speech to the enduring issue of clerical abuse.
“Abuse itself causes a deep wound, which may last a lifetime,” the Holy Father stated. “But often the scandal in the Church is that the door was closed and victims were not welcomed or accompanied with the closeness of authentic pastors.”
He illustrated this point by sharing an encounter with a survivor, recounting: “She told me that the most painful part for her was that no bishop wanted to listen.” The Pope emphasised that such listening is “profoundly important,” framing it as a cornerstone of pastoral response.
The Consistory, which gathered approximately 170 cardinals in Rome, served as a forum for broader collegial discussion. Pope Leo announced plans to institutionalise these gatherings, scheduling a second consistory for late June and proposing future annual meetings of three to four days. He encouraged cardinals facing financial hardship to seek assistance, pledging communal solidarity.
To continue the dialogue, the Pope requested that cardinals submit written reflections on the consistory’s focal themes – synodality, mission, liturgy, and the reform of the Roman Curia as outlined in the constitution Praedicate Evangelium – as well as on the relationship between the College of Cardinals, the Pope, and the Curia. He committed to reviewing all submissions personally.
Reflecting on the meeting, Pope Leo expressed “deep gratitude” for the participants’ engagement and solidarity with absent cardinals. He highlighted formation – for seminarians, clergy, and laity alike – as a critical need, stating it must be “rooted in the ordinary, concrete life of the local Church.”
The Pope connected the chosen themes of synodality and mission directly to the legacy of the Second Vatican Council, describing them as part of “a process of life, conversion, and renewal for the entire Church.”
He also affirmed the role of the reformed Curia as a structure of service supporting local Churches in their evangelising mission.
Concluding his address, Pope Leo turned to global suffering, asserting that the gathered cardinals were not “deaf to the reality of poverty, suffering, war, and violence.”
He pledged closeness to affected communities and extended a message of hope, particularly to the young, noting that while the recent Jubilee’s Holy Door is closed, “the door of Christ and His love is always open.”
