New Pope Faces Scrutiny Over Abuse Case History \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is under scrutiny for how he handled past clergy abuse cases in Chicago and Peru. Survivors and advocacy groups are urging him to prioritize transparency and accountability. His prior involvement in confronting one abusive movement gives some hope for reform.
Quick Looks
- Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, faces renewed attention over his past handling of abuse allegations.
- Advocates demand an investigation into his roles in Chicago and Chiclayo, Peru, where cases surfaced under his supervision.
- A complaint filed in March 2025 accuses him of ecclesiastical negligence in two separate incidents.
- No accusations have been made against Leo XIV personally for abuse or protecting known abusers.
- In Chicago, an accused priest was housed at a friary under his oversight.
- In Peru, his diocese was criticized for failing to interview survivors or notify civil authorities.
- Some praise his support for victims of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae movement.
- Critics note he never released a public list of known abusers under his jurisdiction.
- Pope Francis previously established accountability standards Leo XIV is now expected to uphold.
- Leo XIV is now being called to define his papacy through decisive action on abuse reform.
Deep Look
As Pope Leo XIV begins his tenure leading the Catholic Church, his past oversight of clergy abuse cases in the United States and Peru is drawing new scrutiny. Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, his leadership is being challenged not by accusations of personal misconduct but by concerns about his effectiveness and transparency in supervising accused clergy.
Prevost, elected to the papacy on Thursday, is being pressed by victims’ rights groups and Catholic reform advocates to demonstrate a stronger commitment to justice and accountability than some of his predecessors. Critics say that if Pope Leo XIV is serious about reform, his first task is to prove he can address the church’s most enduring scandal: the global sexual abuse crisis.
Allegations of Insufficient Action in Chicago
One of the two cases cited in a March 2025 complaint filed by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) involves Prevost’s time as the Midwest regional leader of the Order of St. Augustine in Chicago. At issue is his awareness of James Ray, a diocesan priest who was placed on restricted ministry in 1990 following abuse allegations.
According to an internal memo from 2000, Ray was allowed to live at an Augustinian friary from 2000 to 2002 — despite not being a member of the order. While the Archdiocese of Chicago retained ultimate responsibility for Ray, advocates allege that Cardinal Prevost was aware of the living arrangement and failed to alert nearby schools or parishioners.
Although Ray was removed in 2002 and eventually left the priesthood, the complaint asserts that this oversight “endangered the safety of the children” and fell short of the standards expected of church leaders, especially in the wake of the explosive 2002 Boston Globe investigation that exposed systemic coverups across the U.S.
The Peruvian Controversy
The second case centers on Prevost’s tenure as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, where two priests were accused in 2022 of sexually abusing three minors dating back to 2007. While Prevost’s diocese forwarded the case to the Vatican’s doctrinal office, it allegedly failed to conduct interviews with the victims or offer them pastoral support.
Photos later surfaced suggesting one of the priests, Eleuterio Vásquez Gonzales, was still celebrating Mass publicly despite being suspended. The diocese maintained that the correct procedures were followed and that the second priest, Ricardo Yesquen, was not in active ministry due to age and health.
Prevost, who had already left Peru for a senior Vatican role, was cleared by the Vatican for imposing preliminary restrictions. But the lack of interviews and absence of civil referrals raised serious concerns about how robust the investigation truly was.
Nine days after Peruvian authorities dismissed the case on procedural grounds, Prevost was elevated to oversee the Vatican’s bishop appointments — a move now viewed by critics as emblematic of a recurring lack of accountability.
Mixed Legacy on Abuse Reform
While Prevost’s record is mixed, he has also been acknowledged for his role in supporting victims of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae — a controversial Catholic movement in Peru accused of systemic abuse and financial misconduct. As Bishop of Chiclayo, he supported survivors when many church figures remained silent.
This advocacy led to the dissolution of the movement by Pope Francis in January 2024 — a rare and bold move reflecting institutional willingness to act. For advocates like Pedro Salinas, himself a survivor and co-founder of Ending Clergy Abuse, this part of Prevost’s legacy is hopeful: “He stood with us when others didn’t. That’s why his election matters.”
Yet survivors and watchdog groups remain wary. BishopAccountability.org notes that while many dioceses have published lists of clergy credibly accused of abuse, Prevost never did so in either Peru or during his Augustinian leadership.
Furthermore, during his tenure at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, no bishops were publicly disciplined for mishandling abuse allegations — a fact critics say illustrates ongoing leniency in a system that should demand greater accountability from top clergy.
The Road Ahead for Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV now leads a Church that continues to reel from decades of abuse scandals, a crisis that has profoundly eroded trust in Catholic institutions. His predecessor, Pope Francis, had an uneven record in handling such issues — notably mishandling a major abuse case in Chile before ultimately launching internal reforms and issuing apologies.
Prevost, now Leo XIV, has signaled awareness of these challenges. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, he emphasized that “silence is not the solution,” and stressed the need for transparency and victim support.
Advocates say the time for statements is over. As Gemma Hickey, president of Ending Clergy Abuse, put it: “Let this pope be remembered not for the global abuse crisis he inherits, but for how he ends it.”
If Pope Leo XIV wants to define his papacy through action rather than controversy, reforming the Church’s approach to abuse and enforcing real accountability — even among bishops — must be his priority.
New Pope Faces New Pope Faces New Pope Faces
You must Register or Login to post a comment.