Survivors of clergy sexual abuse are turning up the heat on the new pope. From his home city of Chicago, they’re calling for a clear, global zero-tolerance policy on priests accused of abuse. They want action, not words.
The group leading this push is SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Their message is blunt: Pope Leo XIV needs to show that he’s serious about protecting victims and holding abusers accountable. And they’re pointing directly to his past.
Before becoming pope, Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, held leadership roles across the Catholic Church. He led a religious order, served as bishop in Peru, and oversaw bishops from the Vatican. Along the way, survivors say, he failed to take decisive steps in multiple abuse cases.
In Chicago, for example, a priest with dozens of abuse claims later landed a job at the Shedd Aquarium, interacting with children. He worked there for nearly a decade. Prevost took over leadership of the Augustinians after that priest left the church. Survivors argue he should have acted sooner, given the priest’s new position.
SNAP also raised red flags from Peru. While bishop of Chiclayo, Prevost handled a case involving three women who accused two priests of abuse. His office forwarded the case to Rome, which dismissed it. The diocese later reopened the investigation after Prevost moved to a new Vatican role.
Survivors say these patterns reflect a broader issue: the Vatican has yet to make zero-tolerance a global policy. In the U.S., priests are permanently removed for a single confirmed case. But that rule doesn’t apply everywhere.
SNAP wants that changed. They’re also calling for a global truth commission and more transparency from the Church.
The Archdiocese of Chicago responded, saying Pope Leo followed the rules of the Church at the time. They insist he acted within church law, reported cases to civil authorities, and offered support to victims.
By Risper Akinyi
