Pope Leo condemns machismo and urges action on abuse

Pope Leo XIV condemned machismo and violence against women in Peru on Thursday, calling for women to be valued, protected and respected while urging the country’s Catholic bishops to support vulnerable communities and address clergy sexual abuse with truth and justice.

Speaking to people gathered in Lima’s Plaza Mayor, Leo said violence against women remained a reality that harmed society and contradicted the Christian teaching that men and women share equal dignity. He also pointed to the particular burdens faced by poor, Indigenous and Afro-Peruvian women. In remarks reported from the same address, he criticized machismo in family life and said customary gender roles did not justify unequal domestic responsibilities or subordination between spouses.

Leo’s appeal came during his return to Peru, where he spent more than two decades as a missionary priest and bishop. The pope urged the faithful to recognize women’s contributions and protect girls. He also discussed pressures on families, including economic hardship, migration, addiction and domestic violence, according to an account of his address.

The pope separately called on Peru’s bishops to accompany people facing poverty and...