Since the 1990s, the Catholic Church has faced increasing pressure to address the issue of sexual abuse by clergy, driven by a series of scandals that exposed widespread misconduct. While the Church has implemented new mechanisms to support victims, critics argue that transparency remains a major challenge. In France, efforts have been made to create systems for reporting and listening to victims, yet resistance persists, particularly from bishops who oppose lifting the secrecy of confession—a long-standing Catholic practice that shields confessions from legal scrutiny. The Church has not entirely ignored the issue of clergy sexual abuse, even before recent scandals. It established moral and administrative systems to address misconduct, often through internal measures that avoided public involvement. For example, Pope Pius XI condemned the "crime of solicitation" in the 1920s, and the Holy See later explicitly included pedophilia in its doctrinal teachings. When abuse was confirmed, perpetrators were often transferred within or even outside their diocese, without being removed from their duties involving children. A psychological support system, such as the organization Entraide sacerdotale, aimed to rehabilitate abusive clergy, sometimes placing them in monasteries or health institutions. However, these systems had a major flaw: they prioritized the Church's reputation over the well-being of victims. Until the 2000s, victims and their families were often asked to remain silent. This "culture of honor" sought to protect the institution rather than address the harm suffered by victims. A shift began in the 1990s, accelerated by revelations in Australia, the United States, and Ireland, which exposed the extent of abuse within the Church. In France, whistleblowers like Marie-Jo Thiel brought attention to the suffering of victims, leading to public and legal scrutiny. A landmark case in 2001 saw a bishop convicted for failing to report abuse by one of his priests. In response, the Church began implementing new measures, including guidelines for handling abuse and establishing listening centers. However, these efforts stalled until 2016, when the case of Abbé Preynat reignited public outrage. This led to the formation of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase), which conducted an extensive investigation and released the Sauvé report in 2021. The report estimated that over 330,000 people had been assaulted by clergy between 1950 and 2020, and it called for the Church to abandon its traditional approach of transferring abusive priests and silencing victims. The report emphasized the need for recognition, compensation, and institutional reform. Despite these changes, critics argue that the Church's response has been too slow and insufficient. Recent cases, such as the abuse scandal at Notre-Dame-de-Bétharram and revelations about the late Abbé Pierre, have raised concerns that abuse continues and that the Church still resists full transparency. The secrecy of confession remains a point of contention, with bishops opposing any legal measures to lift it. While the Church has made strides in adapting to modern values, it continues to face challenges in fully aligning with the demands of a more open and victim-centered society.