Pope Leo faces backlash from abuse survivors over handling of clerical molestation cases
Groups supporting survivors of clergy sexual abuse have expressed outrage over the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, citing his past handling of molestation cases and describing his elevation as a grave insult.
Prevost, 69, who became the first-ever US-born pontiff after a short conclave at the Vatican on Thursday, had previously faced scrutiny for decisions made during his tenure as head of the Augustinian order in Chicago and later as bishop in Peru.
As The Guardian reported, while leading the Augustinians in Chicago, Prevost faced allegations against Richard McGrath, an Augustinian priest and principal of Providence Catholic High School, accused of molesting a student and possessing child abuse imagery. Despite these allegations, McGrath remained in his post. Though McGrath retired in 2017, the order only expelled him in December 2023 — a move first revealed days before the conclave.
The student, Robert Krankvich, later sued and received a $2 million settlement. Krankvich died in April this year. His father told the Chicago Sun-Times, 'Money doesn't bring happiness. It gave him no closure.'
Another priest with previous abuse accusations, James Ray, was permitted to live in an Augustinian friary next to an elementary school under Prevost's watch. The Vatican has maintained that Prevost did not authorise Ray's placement.
Later, during Prevost's tenure as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, three women accused two priests — Eleuterio Vásquez González and Ricardo Yesquén — of sexually abusing them as minors. The women say they informed Prevost directly, but told The Guardian that no meaningful investigation followed. One of the accusers, Ana María Quispe, told Cuarto Poder: 'They have always told us the church is our mother – but a mother protects.'
According to The Guardian, the diocese said the Vatican's investigative body found 'insufficient evidence' to act, and Peruvian authorities cited expired statutes of limitation.
Survivor advocacy groups have condemned Prevost's election. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) filed a formal complaint in March under church laws introduced by the late Pope Francis, alleging Prevost failed to act properly in abuse cases.
After his election, SNAP issued a statement expressing 'grave concern about his record managing abuse cases'. It added: 'You can end the abuse crisis. The only question is: will you?'
The Survivors of Childhood Sex Abuse (SCSA) were more direct, calling the election 'an insult'. In their statement, they said: 'The Catholic hierarchy has not merely mishandled abuse allegations – it industrialised the process. Pope Leo XIV … was in the rooms for all of it.'
Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represented victims in the case that inspired the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, said: 'The Catholic church has to understand that the safety of innocent children cannot be sacrificed for an outdated and inexcusable need to protect the reputation of the Catholic church.'
The Vatican's press office did not respond to The Guardian's request for comment. It has generally maintained that Prevost followed canonical procedures and has not been accused of abuse himself.
Prevost's rise to the papacy was partly attributed to his reputation as a moderating figure within the church hierarchy. He was elevated to cardinal by pope Francis in 2023 and served as prefect of the Vatican's powerful Dicastery for Bishops before being elected pope.
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