Pope Leo XIV Faces Pressure Over Abuse Scandals During Peru Visit
Former bishop Reinhold Nann urges the Pope to address systemic church abuse in Peru.
1Historical Abuse Documentation
Former bishop Reinhold Nann has spent years documenting sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church in Peru. Seven years ago, two women confessed to him that they were raped by a priest at age nine. Nann highlights that victims often waited fifty years to speak out due to intense social shame.
2Nann's Transition to Activism
Reinhold Nann, a 66-year-old German native, served as a priest and bishop in Peru starting in 1991. He resigned from his ecclesiastical office in 2024 to marry his partner. Today, he continues his advocacy as an author, focusing on exposing the systemic failures that allowed clerical abuse to persist for decades.
3Connection to the Papacy
Nann previously collaborated with Robert Prevost, the former bishop of Chiclayo, who was responsible for handling abuse victim relations in Peru. Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV in 2025. The Pope is currently visiting his former home in Peru from November 11 to 16, sparking hopes for victim engagement.
4The Sodalitium Scandal Context
The scale of abuse in Peru gained national attention in 2015 following revelations about the Sodalitium lay movement. This group, which recruited from the white upper class, was eventually dissolved by Pope Francis in 2023. Victims now organize under the name 'Sobrevivientes' to demand justice and accountability for their past suffering.
5Documenting Hidden Crimes
In his book, Nann documents 57 specific cases of abuse where public reports were filed. He argues that countless other instances remain unknown because victims fear the power of high-ranking clergy. Nann claims that when cases are reported to the church, they are frequently silenced through the payment of hush money.
6Uncertainty Regarding Official Meetings
While Pope Leo XIV was previously praised for listening to victims, an official meeting with abuse survivors is currently absent from his Peru itinerary. There is speculation about a potential unofficial meeting at the Nunciature or in Chiclayo, but nothing has been confirmed by the Vatican as of the current visit.
7Structural Reform Skepticism
Nann remains skeptical that brief, unofficial meetings will lead to meaningful change. He warns that such encounters often serve as a 'fig leaf' rather than a catalyst for the structural reforms necessary to prevent future abuse. He emphasizes that the church must address deep-seated systemic issues to ensure genuine institutional accountability.
8Broader Human Rights Concerns
Beyond the church abuse scandal, the Pope's visit coincides with ongoing tensions regarding recent human rights violations under the government of Dina Boluarte. The lack of official meetings with these victims mirrors the uncertainty surrounding the abuse survivors, highlighting the complex political and social challenges facing the Pope during his trip.
Original article: taz — Pope Leo XIV Faces Pressure Over Abuse Scandals During Peru Visit