Pope Leo opens up about being physically attacked in Ireland

'Never in my life, anywhere in the world, have I been physically attacked as I was in Ireland'

He said: "Never in my life, anywhere in the world, have I been physically attacked as I was in Ireland, for just going out on the street."

He goes on to say that he had to be rescued by an Augustinian priest who witnessed the attack.

Pope Leo continued: "A man passes by, he looks at me, 'You’re a priest', and he starts attacking me. Fortunately, another Augustinian, who is twice as big as me, came to defend me."

He did not specify exactly when or where the attack occurred; however, Pope Leo did visit Ireland in June 2005 for the Augustinian celebrations in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, to commemorate the order’s 700th anniversary.

He also returned to Ireland two years later, in 2007.

He said that he had never come across such a significant change in attitudes towards Catholicism as he had seen in Ireland.

A video of him describing the attack in 2019 while he was still a bishop has resurfaced on social media.

Back then, he was known as bishop Robert Prevost. He was speaking at a conference in Peru as he warned his audience about the ever-changing attitudes towards the Catholic Church.

He also points towards the change in attitudes towards the clergy in Ireland after the clerical sex abuse scandals of the 90s.

He said: "Pope Benedict spoke of the tendency in society to favour the clergy. I have never seen such a radical and rapid change as we are experiencing in Ireland, above all because of this [child abuse] scandal.

"Where, before around 2005, you could go to Ireland, and if you were a priest, people almost wanted to carry you on their shoulders.

"And I’m not exaggerating much, maybe a little, but it was incredible. I’m from the United States, but on visits to Ireland, you were treated with extreme affection, with love, respect and adulation for the clergy. It was incredible."

However, he said Ireland clearly exemplifies how attitudes towards the clergy could quickly change.

"After the crisis, never in my life, anywhere in the world have I been physically attacked as I was in Ireland, for just going out on the street," he continued.

"The pain and anger from this man. I don’t know if he was a victim or had lost faith in the Church, I have no idea what happened to him. But I truly believe it is a very important factor in the experience here in the Church as well."

Pope Leo (then-bishop) was speaking on 'Promoting a culture of prevention and care for children in the context of sexual abuse in the Church'.