Takeaways From a Times Investigation of the Pope’s Legacy on Sex Abuse

Sex abuse scandals have rocked the Catholic church for years, with priests around the world accused of victimizing children and others, and the institution criticized for a weak response.

As Pope Leo XIV becomes leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, his stance on abuse will play a central role in shaping the church’s future as it tries to rebuild trust.

To better understand the direction he might take, a team of New York Times reporters examined Leo’s handling of two sex abuse cases in Peru, while he was bishop in the small city of Chiclayo, from 2015 to 2023.

We found stark contrasts. In one case, Pope Leo — then called Bishop Robert Prevost — sided assertively with victims of sexual abuse. He clashed with powerful Catholic figures to seek justice for victims of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, a cultlike Catholic movement that recruited children of elite families and used sexual and psychological abuse to control members.

In the other case, the pope is accused by victims and advocates of failing to adequately investigate claims by three women that they had been abused by priests as children.

The Times investigation found that while the pope was a bishop, at least two priests accused of abusing minors continued clergy work — sometimes with children — while under investigation. The reporting also found that a priest appointed by Bishop Prevost to counsel victims told them not to expect much accountability from the church because their abuse had not “reached a situation of rape.”