Pope Leo XIV on Monday condemned sexual abusers holding positions of authority in the Catholic Church, expressing support for reparation for victims.

The Catholic Church has for decades faced investigations concluding it systematically turned a blind eye to thousands of child sex predators operating globally as priests and in other capacities within the Vatican’s network. This week, the pope acknowledged concerns, telling Spain’s Catholic bishops that one of the “most painful encounters is with those who have been wounded precisely ​by those who were supposed to care for them, including members of the clergy.”