Leo addressed the topic in a March 16 audience with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Monday urged the Church to listen to victims of sexual abuse, and called for the recognition of the pain caused and for the creation of “a culture of care.”

“It is about helping to form, throughout the Church, a culture of care, in which the protection of minors and persons in vulnerable situations is not seen as an obligation imposed from outside but as a natural expression of faith,” the pope said in an audience with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (PCPM) on March 16.

He added that it calls “for a process of conversion where the sufferings of others are heard and move us to take action.”

Leo noted that the experiences of victims and survivors are “essential reference points,” adding that “while they are certainly painful and difficult to hear, these experiences powerfully bring the truth to light and teach us humility.”

He also warned bishops and the superiors of religious orders and communities that they “have a responsibility of their own that cannot be delegated” to “listening to victims and accompanying them” in every ecclesial institution and community.

He further stated that “it is precisely through the recognition of the pain that has occurred that a credible path for hope and renewal is opened.”

Prevention is not only a set of rules

The Holy Father explained that “prevention is never just a set of protocols or procedures.”

He also insisted that “the protection of minors and persons in vulnerable situations is not an isolated area of ecclesial life but a dimension that permeates pastoral care, formation, governance, and discipline.”

The pope also thanked the commission for its work in abuse prevention, describing it as “a demanding service, sometimes silent, often burdensome,” and asked its members to intensify “even greater cooperation” with other dicasteries and protection institutions.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.