Pope Leo XIV Faces Immediate Controversy Over Child Sex Abuse Allegations

VATICAN CITY — Just hours after his historic election as the first American pontiff on May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, finds himself at the center of a brewing scandal. Resurfaced allegations from his past roles in Chicago and Peru accuse him of mishandling cases of clergy sexual abuse, casting a shadow over his nascent papacy.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a prominent advocacy group, filed a complaint under the Vatican’s Vos estis lux mundi protocol on April 30, 2025, accusing Prevost of obstructing investigations into abuse cases during his tenure in Chicago and as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru. SNAP’s statement, issued shortly after his election, expressed “grave concern” and claimed that choosing Prevost as pope “adds insult to injury for survivors whose cases he ignored.”

In Chicago, Prevost, a member of the Augustinian order, served as prior of his province in 1999. During this period, he allegedly signed off on a decision to house an accused priest near a school, a move criticized by advocates as reckless. The Augustinians, under Prevost’s leadership, have been described as lagging in transparency compared to other Catholic organizations, such as the Jesuits, who released a comprehensive list of offenders in 2019.

In Peru, where Prevost ministered for decades and later served as bishop, similar accusations emerged. SNAP alleged that he failed to act decisively against priests accused of abuse, contributing to a culture of secrecy. While his diocese denied any cover-up, the allegations have fueled skepticism about his commitment to addressing the Church’s ongoing abuse crisis.

Pope Leo XIV’s election was initially met with celebration in St. Peter’s Square, where crowds chanted “Viva il Papa” for the 69-year-old Chicago native. His reputation as a pragmatic and humble missionary, dubbed the “saint of the north” in Peru for aiding flood victims, had positioned him as a unifying figure. However, the swift reemergence of these allegations has shifted focus to his record on one of the Catholic Church’s most persistent challenges.

In a 2019 interview, Prevost publicly rejected “cover-ups and secrecy” and urged reporting of abuse. Yet critics, including Anne Barrett Doyle of BishopAccountability.org, argue that as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops since 2023, he maintained secrecy in handling cases involving bishops accused of abuse or cover-ups. SNAP has called for Pope Leo XIV to implement a zero-tolerance policy and establish a reparations fund within his first 100 days, emphasizing that “only Pope Leo XIV can end this crisis.”

The Vatican has not issued an official response to the allegations, but Pope Leo XIV’s first remarks from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica emphasized peace and continuity with Pope Francis’s legacy. Analysts suggest that his approach to the abuse scandal will define his papacy, particularly given the U.S. Catholic Church’s adoption of a zero-tolerance policy, which some hope he will extend globally.

As the first American pope, Leo XIV faces immense pressure to navigate both the geopolitical implications of his nationality and the Church’s internal divisions. Social media reactions reflect the polarized sentiment, with some X users decrying the Church’s history of abuse cover-ups and others expressing cautious optimism about his leadership.

The allegations, while not new, underscore the challenges awaiting Pope Leo XIV. Whether he can restore trust and enact meaningful reforms remains uncertain, but the spotlight on his past decisions ensures that the issue will dominate his early days as pontiff.

Sources: The Jerusalem Post, Chicago Sun-Times, BBC, AP News, Crux, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, ABC News

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