The Pope in Question: A Controversial Ascension to Power
Pope Initiates Intercontinental Linkage
The Catholic Church has a new figurehead, and controversy shadows his rise. Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first American pope, hailing from Peruvian soil after spending decades working in slums and remote areas of the country. His election may unite Catholics worldwide, but questions loom over his actions in South America.
First called a "bridge-builder" between the Global North and Global South, Leo XIV is poised against militant Christianity, criticizing the US government's stance. As seen on multiple platforms, he often shared content critical of the administration.
Leo XIV: Unlike Francis II
Born in the USA, Leo XIV cemented his place in the Church in Peru, serving as a missionary, priest, teacher, and bishop of Chiclayo for 20 years. He took Peruvian citizenship to hold the latter position. For the most part, his life was spent outside the United States.
Cover-up Allegations
As Bishop of Chiclayo between 2015 and 2023, Prevost visited remote communities and involved laypeople in social work, according to Yolanda Díaz, a teacher and church member in Chiclayo. With over three-quarters of Peru's population identifying as Catholic, this focus proved beneficial.
However, allegations against Pope Leo XIV date back to his days in South America. Three women accused him of covering up abuse cases within his diocese. Sarah Pearson, a spokesperson for the SNAP victim support network, expressed "deep concern" in a statement, stating that Prevost neither launched an investigation nor shared information with Rome or took disciplinary action against the involved priests.
Prevost denies these accusations, with the diocese likewise rejecting them. On March 25, SNAP presented the accusations to Rome on behalf of the victims, yet they have yet to receive a response.
Calls for Zero Tolerance from Victims
Peruvian investigative journalist Pedro Salinas recently dismissed allegations against Prevost as unfounded. He claimed that the accusations were part of a campaign orchestrated by the ultra-conservative faction of the Catholic Church to discredit Prevost, labeling him as too progressive. "He always put the victims of abuse at the center," Salinas asserted.
Salinas was once a member of the Peruvian congregation Sodalicio, which he left after investigating sexual abuse cases within the group. In January, Pope Francis disbanded Sodalicio due to its misdeeds, marking one of the largest abuse scandals within the Peruvian Church to date.
Editor's Notes: Pope Leo XIV's papacy began amid controversy, as accusations of cover-up stem from allegations that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost failed to properly investigate sexual abuse allegations in his Peruvian diocese while serving as bishop from 2015 to 2023. These accusations primarily emerged from conservative sectors within the Church and certain digital outlets, claiming that Prevost dismissed abuse reports made by three women, telling them that the Church had no means to investigate, though he encouraged them to report to civil authorities. In the Vatican's thorough inquiry before the conclave that elected Leo XIV, this investigation concluded that the accusations against Prevost were without merit and affirmed his impeccable conduct. However, advocacy groups like SNAP have expressed grave concern about Pope Leo XIV’s handling of abuse cases, highlighting specific failures like Prevost's allowance of a previously accused priest to reside near a Catholic elementary school in Chicago in 2000 and inadequate responses to victims' canonical complaints in Chiclayo, where the accused priest reportedly continued saying mass after allegations surfaced. SNAP filed a formal complaint against Prevost under Pope Francis’ 2023 decree Vos estis lux mundi on March 25, 2025, calling for decisive action within the first 100 days of Pope Leo XIV's tenure, including the establishment of an independent Global Truth Commission, the adoption of a Universal Zero Tolerance Law in canon law, international legal agreements for transparency and accountability, a survivor-funded Reparations Fund supported by Church assets, and a Global Survivors Council with oversight authority.
- Regardless of the allegations against him, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope with Peruvian roots, has taken a firm stance against the US government's political policies on militant Christianity, as seen on various platforms.
- Despite being the initial figurehead of the Catholic Church amid controversy, policy-and-legislation related to crime-and-justice and general-news outlets cover the baseless claims of cover-up that have dogged Pope Leo XIV since his days as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023.
- Initiating an investigation remains a pressing issue for advocacy groups like SNAP, as the Vatican hasn't responded to their presented accusations against Pope Leo XIV, who is accused of covering up abuse cases within his diocese.
- The elections within the Vatican may unite Catholics worldwide, but Pope Leo XIV's policy and approach on political issues, such as his critique of the US government's stance on militant Christianity, raise questions regarding his past actions in South America.
- Amid the increasing calls for zero tolerance from victims and advocacy groups, the Vatican is yet to take decisive action regarding the controversial ascension of the pope, such as establishing an independent Global Truth Commission or adopting a Universal Zero Tolerance Law in canon law.
