Pope Leo XIV Confronts Adult Abuse Crisis in Catholic Church
Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated escalating concern regarding the next critical frontier in addressing abuses within the Catholic Church. On Monday, the pontiff highlighted the distressing plight of "vulnerable" adults and conducted a significant meeting with an investigative journalist who has uncovered alleged abuses within the influential Opus Dei movement.
High-Profile Audiences Focus on Abuse Prevention
Leo orchestrated two consecutive, prominent audiences on Monday, both centered on abuse issues. The first involved the Vatican's child protection board, which advises the church on sexual abuse prevention strategies. The second was with Gareth Gore, author of the controversial book "Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking and Right-Wing Conspiracy Inside the Catholic Church."
The American pope deliberately publicized the meeting with Gore, listing it on his formal agenda and releasing Vatican photographs of the encounter. This move underscores his commitment to transparency and addressing systemic issues.
Addressing Vulnerable Adults in the #MeToo Era
Speaking to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, Leo displayed acute awareness that the global #MeToo movement has unveiled widespread abuses against adults in vulnerable situations within ecclesiastical settings. These abuses can affect seminarians, nuns, and ordinary parishioners who may suffer spiritual, psychological, physical, or sexual exploitation by superiors or charismatic leaders.
Historically, the Catholic hierarchy has often overlooked such adult abuses, concentrating narrowly on the church's horrific legacy of clergy sexual abuse against children. The Pontifical Commission is now prioritizing the issue of adult vulnerability this year, with Leo encouraging its members to listen to victims fundamentally.
"By reading these 'signs of the times,' you help the church to address safeguarding challenges courageously, and respond with pastoral clarity and structural renewal," he asserted.
Investigating Alleged Abuses Within Opus Dei
Leo has previously indicated awareness of alleged abuses within Opus Dei, the influential movement founded by Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá in 1928, which was greatly favored by St. John Paul II. The movement, known as Work of God in Latin, boasts 90,000 members across 70 countries.
Gore, a financial journalist and editor, published "Opus" in 2024, detailing alleged financial and other abuses within the organization. Opus Dei vehemently rejected the book, issuing a 106-page set of "clarifications" to journalists post-publication.
In 2024, Argentine prosecutors found grounds for a criminal investigation into top South American Opus officials regarding charges of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The case involved 44 women who claimed they were recruited for domestic tasks under "manifestly illegal conditions," including unpaid 12-hour-plus workdays without breaks, lack of Social Security registration, and other rights violations. No formal charges have been filed, and Opus Dei in Argentina has denied all accusations.
Pope's Personal History Informs Understanding of Abuse
Leo's background in Peru, where he served as a bishop, informs his comprehension of abuse dynamics. The audience with Gore was facilitated by Pedro Salinas, a former member of the abusive Peruvian group Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, who knew the pope during his Peruvian tenure.
Then-Cardinal Robert Prevost played a key role in helping Pope Francis suppress Sodalitium last year, largely due to revelations from Salinas and investigative journalist Paola Ugaz, who exposed the group's abusive practices in their 2015 book "Half Monks, Half Soldiers."
Leo has expressed esteem for investigative journalists' work in uncovering abusive church practices. In a Substack post after Monday's audience, Gore stated he briefed the pope on his findings, provided uncovered documentation, and urged an independent investigation into Opus Dei. The Vatican offered no details on the meeting.
Gore noted his previous criticism of the Holy See's handling of Opus Dei allegations, observing that the Vatican had never contacted former members or victims. "I deduced that the Vatican was content to make a few superficial changes and move on without properly understanding or addressing the problem. But my meeting with the pope compels me to reevaluate those conclusions," he wrote.
Opus Dei declined to comment on Monday, referencing its prior statement about a February 16 audience with Leo and its extensive criticism of Gore's book.
