'Scourge' of abuse must be rooted out, says Pope during Lourdes visit

Pope Francis used the third day of his four‑day pilgrimage to France to urge French bishops to eradicate the “scourge” of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, emphasizing the need for “the greatest vigilance.” Speaking privately to senior clergy at the Sanctuary of Our Holy Lady of Lourdes before celebrating Mass before thousands of worshippers, the pontiff warned that the Church must persevere on the path it has begun in confronting abuse by clergy and lay members. The remarks, delivered behind closed doors and later released to the press, preceded a scheduled private meeting with abuse survivors later that day.

The call to action follows a 2021 inquiry that estimated roughly 330,000 children in France had been abused by clergy or church‑affiliated individuals over a 70‑year span, underscoring the magnitude of the crisis. The Pope’s message came after a massive public appearance in Paris, where an estimated 700,000 people gathered on the Place de la Concorde to hear him speak, and after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. In his Sunday Mass in Paris, Francis also urged Catholics to let their faith “overflow” to refresh those they meet, and praised young people as “today’s Church,” highlighting a broader pastoral focus amid declining regular attendance—down from 35 % of the population in 1960 to under 5 % today—and a sharp reduction in priests, from 25,000 in 1990 to fewer than 9,000 now.

The visit, the Pope’s first official trip to France since his election in May 2025, will continue with a meeting at a Lourdes health facility and a torchlight procession in the evening. While French religiosity has waned, recent trends show a resurgence of interest in tradition, with adult baptisms more than doubling over five years to reach 10,000 in 2025. The Pope’s emphasis on vigilance against abuse, combined with his outreach to youth and broader public, aims to address both the lingering scandal and the Church’s shrinking presence, signaling a concerted effort to restore credibility and encourage renewed participation in French Catholic life.

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