Pope Leo XIV met with David Ryan, an Irish survivor of sexual abuse from Blackrock College. Ryan shared details about the abuse he and his late brother, Mark, suffered while attending the Catholic secondary school. Following the audience, Ryan stated that the Pope expressed deep sympathy and empathy for survivors and hoped his speaking out would encourage others to come forward. Ryan presented the Pope with a lapel pin of St. Brigid of Kildare and showed him a photograph of his brother.
about 1 month ago
Pope Leo XIV met privately with David Ryan, an Irish survivor of clerical sexual abuse, on February 2, 2026, at the Vatican.1 2
The encounter lasted about 40 minutes, during which Ryan shared his experiences without holding back.2
Ryan and his late brother Mark suffered sexual abuse at Blackrock College and its preparatory school, Willow Park, in Dublin, Ireland, during the 1970s.1 2
They were students aged 12 to 17 when abused by a Catholic priest at the school.2
Mark Ryan died suddenly in 2023 at age 62.1
Ryan detailed the abuse to Pope Leo, explaining it took him 40 years to realize it was not his fault.1 2
He presented the Pope with a lapel pin of St. Brigid of Kildare and a photo of his brother Mark.1
Ryan, who describes himself as not very religious, posed "tough" questions to the Pope.2
The Pope listened closely, expressing horror, sympathy, and empathy for Ryan, his family, and other survivors.1 2
Leo acknowledged the questions' difficulty and requested time to reflect before responding further via email.2
Ryan described the Pope's sincerity as genuine, noting "he felt my pain."1 2
Ryan hopes his meeting inspires other victims to come forward and speak out.1 2
He emphasized the importance of survivors sharing stories to encourage healing.1
Deirdre Kenny, CEO of One In Four—an Irish organization supporting child sexual abuse survivors—briefly met Pope Leo and described him as "very human … very down-to-earth."2
Ryan had previously appeared in a 2022 RTÉ documentary and a 2024 EWTN interview about the abuse.1 2
Pope’s empathy toward abuse survivors reflects Church’s duty of healing
The Holy Father's expression of empathy toward survivors of abuse embodies the Catholic Church's profound pastoral commitment to healing, forgiveness, and restoration, as articulated in key magisterial documents. This stance reflects a consistent tradition emphasizing the need to address deep wounds—whether from family dysfunction, violence, or abuse—through prayer, professional accompaniment, and spiritual renewal. Drawing from Amoris Laetitia and related teachings, the Church positions itself not merely as an institution but as a "field hospital" for the injured, urging both personal healing and communal solidarity.
At the heart of the Church's response lies a candid acknowledgment of how unresolved traumas, often rooted in childhood or family life, perpetuate cycles of pain. Pope Francis highlights that "many people leave childhood without ever having felt unconditional love," which impairs trust and openness, re-emerging to harm relationships like marriages. This insight extends to broader crises, where "old wounds" demand a "process of liberation" involving self-examination, prayer for grace to forgive, and acceptance of help. Even when fault seems one-sided, healing requires mutual growth: "We also have to ask what in our own life needs to grow or heal if the conflict is to be resolved."
Such wounds are not abstract; they manifest concretely in experiences of domestic violence and sexual abuse, which the Church explicitly names as "particular emergency situations." Ethical formation itself can be undermined by "experiences of neglect, disappointment, lack of affection or poor models of parenting," associating values with negative parental images. Adolescents and adults alike need "help in the process of inner healing" to foster peace with others. The Pope's empathy thus echoes this realism, validating survivors' pain while calling the Church to facilitate healing without evasion.
The Church's duty transcends sympathy, demanding structured pastoral action. Amoris Laetitia advocates training lay leaders—counselors, physicians, social workers, and therapists—to ground initiatives in families' "real situations and concrete concerns." This complements spiritual direction and sacramental Reconciliation, ensuring holistic care. Professionals with "practical experience" prevent pastoral efforts from becoming detached, especially amid abuse crises.
Pope Benedict XVI reinforced this through endorsements of doctrinal compendia, urging formation that equips the faithful to discern justice in social contexts, including family evangelization. Laypeople, living in "secular character," must humanize structures via "professional skills and witness of an exemplary life." Similarly, the Compendium of the Catechism serves as a "vademecum" for faith education, awakening "renewed zeal for evangelization" amid worldly distractions. A Pope's public empathy models this, inspiring bishops and laity—like those addressed by Pope Leo XIV in recent assemblies—to prioritize healing in their ministries.
Culminating these teachings is an invocation of the Holy Family, underscoring the Church's vision for families as "places of communion and prayer" free from "violence, rejection and division." Pope Francis prays: "Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing." This prayer reframes empathy as participation in God's plan, restoring the "sacredness and inviolability of the family." The Pope's stance thus reflects not personal sentiment but ecclesial duty, inviting all to contemplate "the splendour of true love" in Nazareth.
Recent papal addresses by Pope Leo XIV, such as those to Italian bishops in Assisi and Lebanese youth, continue this thread amid contemporary challenges. Greeting episcopal gatherings with fraternal warmth and addressing youth with peace ("Assalamu lakum!"), these encounters signal a Church attuned to human fragility. While focused on broader evangelization, they align with Amoris Laetitia's emphasis on healing social and familial rifts, portraying the successor of Peter as shepherd to the wounded.
In essence, the Pope's empathy is no innovation but a vivid enactment of the Church's vocation: to heal through truth, accompaniment, and prayer. Survivors find in this not pity, but the Gospel's promise of liberation.