Clerical Abuse Survivor Group ‘Gravely Concerned’ by Election of New Pope

Survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests are calling on Pope Leo XIV to institute a zero-tolerance policy while demanding an investigation into his handling of prior misconduct allegations.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which has 25,000 members worldwide, released a statement Thursday acknowledging the “gravity of the role” Cardinal Robert Prevost assumed as the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.

“With the title comes a grave reckoning,” the group, known as SNAP, said in a statement.

Hours earlier, prior to the 69-year-old Prevost being elected to lead roughly 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, SNAP released a 6-page open letter calling on the new pontiff to instill a “truly universal zero tolerance law for sexual abuse and cover-up” by clergy.

“Now that he’s the pope, we’re gravely concerned,” SNAP spokesperson Sarah Pearson told Newsweek. “These are serious allegations by three women and their complaints deserve to be investigated.”

Handling of Past Cases

Those allegations, according to Pearson, were primarily about Pope Leo XIV’s dealings with Father James Ray, a priest accused of abusing minors. Nearly a decade later, Ray’s ministry had been allowed to move to the Augustinians’ St. John Stone Friary in Chicago, despite the building being near a Catholic elementary school, the Chicago-Sun Times reported in 2021. Records obtained by the paper show that church officials approved the transfer, noting there was “no school in the immediate area.”

SNAP accused Prevost of “endanger[ing]” the safety of the children at the school by approving the transfer.

The Vatican has reportedly denied Prevost authorized Ray’s arrangements for the friary. Newsweek reached out to the Vatican’s press office for comment on SNAP’s letter but did not immediately receive a response.

In 2022, when Prevost served as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, three victims reported alleged abuse to civil authorities following no movement in the canonical case they filed with the diocese. The victims claim Prevost failed to open an investigation and sent inadequate information to Rome, while the diocese allowed the priest to continue delivering mass, SNAP claims.

“He had a large amount of responsibility and oversight,” Pearson said of Prevost, who worked in Peru until 2023 when Pope Francis brought him to Rome.

The Vatican has reportedly denied any wrongdoing by Prevost in the Peruvian case. Pearson said SNAP wants a full investigation by the Vatican into both matters involving Prevost’s alleged faulty oversight.

“The only way this crisis is going to end is if the Vatican officials institute a zero-tolerance policy,” Pearson said. “And only Pope Leo XIV can do that.”

SNAP filed a complaint with Vatican officials against Prevost in March — before the death of Pope Francis — and have not heard back as of Thursday, Pearson said.

“As the Ordinary of the Diocese of Chiclayo, there is serious reason to believe that Cardinal Prevost did not follow the procedures established by the Holy See for carrying out investigations following reports of abuse,” reads the letter signed by SNAP officials, including Pearson, and viewed by Newsweek.

“There is evidence that the accused priests were not suspended from public ministry following a report of abuse and during the period of the purported preliminary investigation.”

SNAP claims testimony from the three alleged female victims was not gathered by church officials and that Prevost didn’t notify civil authorities of the allegations or offer psychological support or assistance.

The allegations by the women indicate the Diocese of Chiclayo didn’t investigate the abuse claims and misrepresented their testimony under Prevost’s leadership, ultimately preventing an accurate assessment of the case, SNAP claims.

“Thus, we request Vatican officials conduct a thorough investigation of the situation, with the results of the investigation being made public,” the group’s March 25 letter reads. “Should an independent special investigator be appointed to examine Prevost’s conduct, we request to be notified of this investigator’s identity and qualifications.”

SNAP is now calling on Pope Leo to take “decisive action” within his first 100 days as pontiff, including a zero-tolerance law pertaining to sexual abuse and a reparations fund supported by church assets.

“You can end the abuse crisis — the only question is, will you?” SNAP’s statement concluded.