In his encyclical Magnifica humanitas, Leo XIV asks for forgiveness, on behalf of the Church, for complicity in the institution of slavery. He also refers to the shame of the sexual abuse.
The text warns against new forms of slavery that have emerged in the context of digital development – notably the recruitment of victims online.
In this context, he speaks of the mixed record of Church leaders in the institution of slavery.
Here is the full paragraph 176, in which he asks for pardon:
176. In the development of her doctrine, the Church has gradually come to a deeper awareness of the gravity of these issues. It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. In antiquity and the Middle Ages many individuals and even ecclesiastical institutions had slaves. Already in the early modern period, the Apostolic See of Rome, responding to requests from Sovereigns, intervened several times in order to regulate and legitimize forms of subjugation, and, in certain cases, the enslavement of “infidels.” [174] It was only in the nineteenth century that a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated, notably under Pope Leo XIII. [175] This development offers a clear example of the Church’s growth in understanding the perennial truths of Revelation that she safeguards. Although there was not always consistency in practice — given that slavery was long tolerated before being unequivocally condemned — there has been a continuous affirmation throughout history of the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God, even if it took eighteen centuries for its full incompatibility with slavery to be explicitly recognized. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached. [176] It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord. For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.
Rare, but not unprecedented
This kind of request for forgiveness is rare, but not entirely without precedent. Pope John Paul II also issued a public apology, for example. In 1985 in Yaoundé (Cameroon), the Polish pontiff emphasized Christians' responsibility in the slave trade.
Then, in 1992, on the island of Gorée in Senegal, he also implored “heaven’s forgiveness” for this chapter of history, hoping that the disciples of Christ would “never again be the oppressors of their brothers and sisters.”
Then, in 2000, John Paul II presided over a penitential liturgy at the Vatican for the sins committed by the Church over two millennia of history.
The “shame” of abuse: transparency
Magnifica humanitas discusses at length the problem of misinformation -- powerfully multiplied by AI -- and the resulting potential for mass manipulation. Here too, he notes that Catholics are not immune to this risk.
In this context, he calls for the need for vigilance and transparency, and notes the problem of sexual abuse, as well as other types of abuse.
89. Living out justice in the Church means purifying ecclesial relationships and structures from distortions that give rise to inequality, lack of transparency and abuse of power. In this regard, listening to the victims of spiritual, economic, institutional, sexual and power-based abuse, as well as abuses of conscience, is an integral part of a journey toward justice, which includes acknowledging the harm done, just reparation and taking steps to prevent it from happening again.
Later, in paragraph 138, he also praised journalists who have brought abuse to light.
138. Christian communities, too, are called to commit themselves to transparency in communication and to the honest pursuit of facts. Sadly, this has not always been the case. We have witnessed with shame the emergence of painful truths concerning even members of the Church and ecclesial realities. In particular, some journalists, driven by a passion for truth, have played a crucial role in bringing injustices and abuses to light. To them, I wish to repeat the words that Pope Francis used in speaking to journalists: “I also thank you for what you tell us about what goes wrong in the Church, for helping us not to sweep it under the carpet, and for the voice you have given to the victims of abuse.” [146] Yet vigilance and transparency remain first and foremost a grave responsibility for the Church herself, and we must not wait for others to compel us to confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves.
