AI-generated summary
Pope Leo is visiting France for three days, with the third day dedicated entirely to Lourdes, an important Marian sanctuary. In the previous weeks, news emerged about a possible private meeting with victims of sexual abuse in the Church, a topic of growing public and institutional attention.
The official program for Sunday 27 September
According to the program released by the Vatican, Pope Leo's third day in France is entirely in Lourdes. The meeting with the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of France is scheduled for 9 am at the Sainte-Bernadette hemicycle of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. At 11am the Holy Mass in the Prairie of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. In the afternoon, at 3.30 pm, there will be a meeting with the operators and patients of the Accueil Notre-Dame at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. At 4.45pm, a private meeting with the nuns of contemplative life at the Carmel Monastery in Lourdes. Finally in the evening, at 9pm, the prayer of the Holy Rosary and flambeaux procession at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Meeting with victims of abuse
In recent weeks it has been leaked that today the Pope is expected to have a private meeting with 7 victims of sexual violence in the Church, as confirmed by the French Episcopal Conference. The bishop of Tarbes-Lourdes, Monsignor Jean-Marc Micas, specified that "the place, the composition of the delegation and the time will be kept confidential to protect the people who have agreed to participate in this meeting". They will be individual people and not "collectives".
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Pope will publicly address the issue of abuse in the Church in the coming days
Likely · Within days

Pope Leo XIV urged French bishops to maintain maximum vigilance over child abuse during mass in Lourdes. The Pontiff praised the efforts made and will meet seven victims privately.

The Pope met the French bishops in Lourdes, thanking them for their commitment to combating child abuse and inviting them to continue on the path undertaken with the utmost vigilance.

During the homily of the Mass in Lourdes, the Pope stated that the Church must have the courage of conversion to heal from internal wounds and recognize errors. Today the pontiff will meet victims of abuse.

Pope Leo
Pope Leo

On the second day of the apostolic trip to France, Pope Leo XIV visited the Maison Bakhita center in Paris and celebrated mass at Place de la Concorde in front of 700 thousand faithful. In the evening the Pontiff is expected in Lourdes for a prayer in the grotto.