Society Talk

Pope's meetings with abuse survivors: do they mean much without details?

The GONOM comparison on Pope Leo's South America trip is quite revealing on this. The Vatican says several meetings with victims are planned during the trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, from November 6 to 17. The Buenos Aires Times notes that the Vatican didn't say where or with whom. The Hindu reports frustration among victims in Argentina over the Vatican's silence on church proceedings involving priests already convicted in criminal courts.

I don't want to be cynical. Meetings can matter to the people in the room, and the post mentions he met seven victims in France for two hours last month. But without transparency, how would anyone outside know if anything changed?

I'd be interested in views from people in those countries, or from Catholics who've followed this.