Pope Leo XIV: How advocates for survivors of clergy sex abuse are responding

Less than a day after Pope Leo XIV assumed his role as the head of the Catholic Church, a national organization claimed he mishandled abuse allegations in the past.

"We find ourselves with Pope Leo now who, in his past, had turned his back on some sexual abuse charges that he knew of, and that concerns us very much," said Eduardo Lopez De Casas, national vice president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.

WATCH HERE

Before Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, he served as a provincial of the Augustinians in his hometown Chicago. SNAP claims during his time there, Prevost allowed Father James Ray, a priest accused of abusing a minor, to reside at the Augustinians' St. John Stone Friary -- which was close to a Catholic elementary school.

"That is something that was very, very concerning to us," said Lopez De Casas.

Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox with our News Headlines newsletter.

Before becoming the first American pontiff, Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost received an honorary degree from Merrimack College.

Prevost has a dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru, where he spent a significant amount of time as the bishop of Chiclayo. SNAP says during that time, three victims claimed Prevost failed to open an investigation and send adequate information to Rome about their into their reports of assault.

"When I found out Pope Leo was the new pope, my first reaction was 'It's the old guard, business as usual, not much is going to change to help protect children and victims or survivors heal,'" said attorney Matthew Garabedian.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.

"The cases that now Pope Leo XIV has been alleged to be involved in are complicated. They merit further scrutiny, but it's not at all clear exactly where final responsibility lies," said professor Mathew Schmulz.

SNAP is now calling for a universal zero tolerance law adopted into canon law, along with International Legal Agreements mandating transparency and accountability.