Pope Leo XIV likely to face questions over his handling of sex abuse scandals
Pope Leo XIV is expected to front media in the coming hours, where he is likely to address accusations about how he handled sex abuse scandals.
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Pope Leo XIV may address his handling of sex abuse scandals at his first press conference as pontiff on Monday.
The 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church is due to front the media in the coming hours, four days on from his surprise election, and following a public mass on Sunday where he called for an end to world conflicts.
Leo has made international headlines in recent days over his handling of sexual abuse scandals after US-based network, The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), accused him of inaction.
The advocacy group published online that they filed a complaint against him (Robert Prevost) on March 5 over claims that he failed to act over abuse allegations of minors.
The claims involved Father James Ray, who SNAP alleged Leo allowed to reside at the Augustinians’ St. John Stone Friary in Chicago in 2000 and to live close to a Catholic elementary school.
Reports claim that the Vatican denied that Leo approved Ray to move to the Friary.
More than 6000 media have been accredited to report on the events at the Vatican following the death and subsequent funeral of the late Pope Francis, travelling from all over the world and speaking dozens of languages to relay the changing of the guard for the 1.4 billion Catholics.
Leo, 69, used his first prayer address at St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday to call for the end to war in regions including Ukraine, Gaza and the Indian/Pakistan border.
“In today’s dramatic content of a third world war fought piecemeal … I appeal to the powerful of the world by repeating these ever-relevant words: never again war,” he said.
He weighed into the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and said: “I carry in my heart the suffering of the beloved Ukrainian people.
“Every effort be made to reach a true, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.
“May all prisoners be freed, and may the children be returned to their families”.
Addressing hundreds of thousands of people from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the prayer service urged for the conflicts across the globe to end.
He also welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and told the crowd: “I hope that, through the upcoming negotiations, a lasting agreement may soon be reached”.
Leo also spoke of his concerns with the Israel-Gaza conflict and said: “I am deeply pained by what is happening,” he said.
“Let the fighting cease immediately, let humanitarian aid be provided to the exhausted civilian population, and may all hostages be released”.
Hundreds of thousands of people including religious leaders, worshippers and tourists turned out for the event at Vatican City, which included a parade of religious groups and representatives playing music as they walked along Via Della Conciliazione to St Peter’s Square.
Many people waved flags, sang and played music as they welcomed the Chicago-born religious leader.
On the weekend Leo also made his first trip to a St. Mary Major to visit the tomb of Francis who died on Easter Monday.
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