Pope Leo presses Spain's bishops to pay abuse survivors

Pope Leo XIV told Spain's Catholic bishops on Monday to listen to clergy abuse survivors, provide reparations and handle the crisis with greater transparency during his weeklong visit to the country. In remarks to the hierarchy in Madrid, Leo said the church must strengthen safeguarding and ensure wounded people can find "listening, truth, justice" and real paths to healing. The intervention comes as survivor groups protest that some associations were excluded from an expected papal meeting and say the church is still trying to protect its image. Spain this year set up a reparations process for clerical abuse cases too old to prosecute, requiring participation by both the Catholic Church and the government.